


He was my Man and I was his Woman

by TonyStark_SteveRogersDiary



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anal Sex, Bloody Violence, Bottom Tony Stark, Character Death, Fear to Love, Forced Marriage, M/M, No Genderbend (Tony is still a man), Non-Consensual Body Modification, Oral Sex, Outlast AU, Psycho Steve, Stockholm Syndrome, Stony - Freeform, Survival Horror, Top Steve Rogers, mpreg tony
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2018-03-13 13:48:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 157,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3383909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TonyStark_SteveRogersDiary/pseuds/TonyStark_SteveRogersDiary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark is a software engineer looking for a way out of Mount Massive Asylum and expose the truth of Von Doom's Corporation of tormenting their patients. Until he goes downstairs to find a psycho who is called "The Groom" (Steve) who takes Tony as his wife.<br/>*Based on Outlast Whistleblower game, but focusing on the scenes with "The Groom", be sure to remember this will not completely go according to the actual video game</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Man Downstairs

**Author's Note:**

> It is supposed to be a concentration on the scenes of "The Groom" from the Outlast Whistleblower game, but it is my own version. Some of Steve's lines are direct quotations from "The Groom" character in the game. I thought I would share this story that I started weeks ago.

    Tony Stark was aimlessly wandering within the labyrinth of Mount Massive Asylum, cautiously slinking behind splintered boarded walls and venturing the darkness, armed with only a simple camcorder with its night vision turned on. He was a software engineer for Von Doom’s Corporation that owns this psychiatric institution; he discovered the terrible truth that the entire staff and the organization itself were torturing the patients with a tool called the Morphogenic Engine. There is not much information on the device, but it is said to cause physiological trauma and transform the victims into insane people called: Variants. The main purpose was for the machine to make these experimented people to achieve lucid-dream states and gain the ability to control the immortal Walrider. The Walrider is comprised of nanites and is rumored to have a black ghostly appearance of a powerful male; the whole team researched different methods to complete their goal of providing a perfect host for the Walrider since they yearned to exercise this impressive authority under their direction. The problem is that they were using human beings who are mentally ill to begin with since only those who have witnessed much horror can be the Walrider’s host. The project went astray, but a young man named Billy Hope did become the Walrider’s vessel, but it has become the fiercest creature to ever sprout from this cursed mountain. Tony wanted to expose these facts to the outside world to put an end to the Von Doom Corporation’s evil deeds, unfortunately, he was caught on sending an email that provided details of the horrible events in Mount Massive Asylum. It was not able to be sent because his employer wrecked his laptop, so he was not able to give the document to a journalist named Miles Upshur. Tony was subjected to experience a dose of the Morphogenic Engine as punishment, but he was able to break from his bonds, steal a camcorder, and avoid being turned into a Variant to not become deformed both physically and mentally. Tony is a gorgeous man with short fluffy dark brown hair that is fashioned into a faux Mohawk as his nicely curved face has an attractive Van Dyke beard. For the time being, he had on simple blue scrubs and let his bare feet patter upon the dusty floor. He was currently in the Female Ward, zigzagging around and going in between narrow fractured walls, hearing a Variant patrolling around speaking as if he were two diverse people. Tony realized that this scarred male has dissociative identity disorder, there were instances that he would speak in his regular voice and then emit a female one, making it seem as if it were a conversation between companions. The Variant is named Dennis, and he is aware that Tony is somewhere in this cluttered region, he sought after him with a vile anger and with a bizarre fear. Tony began to climb up an oak partition with his camcorder that he tied around his waist with a strong string, he then jumped down and looked up to see a door swing open a few feet away.

                “There he is. What do you think?” It was Dennis, saying this in a country female’s voice, it was noted that he is under the influence of his double personality. Tony slowly rose from his feet as he felt himself back up against the façade he scaled.

                “Oh, he’ll do. We’ll give him to ‘The Groom’.” Dennis said in his original male vocals as he began to walk up to Tony who ran to the left to enter another room. He slammed the door behind him and took a chair that was sitting nearby and stuck it underneath the knob to prevent Dennis from progressing further. Tony saw a downward staircase and resolved to go there to try to find an exit from this giant building and to get away from Dennis; he began to descend the creaking steps.

                “Here comes your bride, Mr. Rogers.” The Variant Dennis managed to speak up through the blocked entrance as Tony could not help but feel dreadful chills chew on his shivering pale skin. _Did he just call me a bride? Who the hell is Mr. Rogers?_ Tony felt these questions flood into his mind as he grabbed his video camera recorder and flick the night vision on, the whole area was also disordered with countless broken furniture. He felt nervous when he heard a gramophone start playing old music that sounded like it came from the 1940’s, Tony saw a set of double doors, its painting was chipped and faded. Tony looked down to grip the rusty handle and jangle it, only to be disappointed that it is locked, he then peered up and gave out a bloodcurdling scream while hopping backwards. He saw a tall muscular man with short blond hair that is a comb over style for the light tufts to swerve to the left above his noble forehead; this must be the infamous Mr. Rogers. He was oddly dressed in a wedding outfit of a white formal buttoned shirt, a raven black velour vest, with matching charcoal pants, and a bow tie. The crest of his head and half of his handsome mien was splattered with streaks of garnet blood; he sketched out a disturbing leer upon his apple red full lips.

                “Oh darling!” The mysterious male exclaimed as he pressed his large palms upon the dirty glass slits excitedly, Tony ran off out of terror as he zoomed under the steely rays of moonlight that spilled from the barred sooty windows.

                “Did I frighten you? I’m awfully sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Mr. Rogers called out in a crafty manner as Tony could hear the double doors shatter and crumble from the abnormal strength of the intimidating villain. Tony quickly ducked under an archaic table and tried to focus his camcorder, he could feel his own right hand shaking violently as he swallowed a huge glob of saliva and peeked through the lens.

                “Darling, where are you?” Mr. Rogers asked with a strange politeness and fondness, as he began investigating the premises to seek out the lovely creature he was blessed to view, he adjusted his brown fingerless gloves. Tony felt himself unconsciously hold his weighty breath when he noticed the charcoal black polished shoes of the diabolical man pass by his hiding spot. Once he disappeared from his sight, Tony cautiously crawled out of his concealment to circle around the countertop and stay crouched down, heading towards where Mr. Rogers busted down the double doors a few minutes ago. Tony scurried into the new section and was a bit thankful that it has a dim light so he would not have to waste his battery power for his camcorder. He noted a tan wall had a message written on it with remnants of dry blood: “ _Welcome home_ ”. He decided to speed walk down a hallway that seemed to have a smokier light, he felt the small hairs on his heated neck stiffen when he observed that he is alone, but he can hear the deep sensual voice of Mr. Rogers singing and echoing in a jolly tune:

_When I was a boy my mother often said to me,_

_get married son and see how happy you would be._

_I have looked all over, but no girlie can I find,_

_who seems to be just like the little girl I have in mind._

_I will have to look around until the right one I have found._

 

The haunting melody finally stopped when Tony scampered into another chamber filled with more random items and huge objects, he bounced over a table and found another door, but it was blockaded by a big wired bin filled with pipes. _I think I finally lost him_ …Tony thought with a bit of relief as he began to push the metallic container sideways, but to his dismay he saw Mr. Rogers appear with his bloodstained face twisting into an expression of delight.

                “Darling, you are so beautiful.” Mr. Rogers complimented with fervor as he effortlessly leaped over the countertop of the hindering bench and opened his arms wide. Tony made a squeak out of alarm and gave a final shove towards the metal case; he successfully opened the door and shut it behind him. He saw Mr. Rogers thrust out his left arm through the fragile glass of the door for fragments of razor-sharp shards to fly everywhere; he made a swipe towards Tony who instantly bolted down the lengthy corridor.

                “I want you to have my baby!” Mr. Rogers bellowed out as the demand rang loudly in Tony’s ears, he felt sickened of the idea that this insane man wants him to mate with him and have Tony become pregnant with his offspring. Tony felt consumed with immense fraught when he saw it was a dead end, he looked to his right and saw an elevator shaft; the cube shaped transportation vehicle was stuck halfway below. The frightened brunette saw that Mr. Rogers was coming closer with a depraved sneer; he soon discovered that there was a silver ladder in the vertical passageway of the elevator chute. He had no other option that he took the chance and sprang forward to grapple upon it; he felt his hope vanish when the horizontal poles of it unclip and the entire structure itself unraveled itself. Tony fell from a considerable height to crash upon the stationary roof of the jammed elevator, he grunted of the twinges radiating all over his right arm. He unhurriedly tried to sit up as he saw a wedge of cracked timber that has pierced his epidermis right above his ankle, streams of shed blood swam from the puncture. Tony seized the debris and yanked it out; he unshackled an earsplitting shriek that resounded within the sealed space.

                “Oh god, oh god, are you okay?!” It was Mr. Rogers shouting in a worried tone; Tony threw away the stake and raised his head to look up at the concerned blond who was peering down on him from a lofty altitude.

                “Tell me you’re okay. I would hate to think of you suffering without me, why would you do something like that to yourself?!” It seemed peculiar that this murderous fellow appears genuinely anxious for Tony’s condition, as the poor fatigue brunette managed to stand back on his tottering feet, he had nothing to say to Mr. Rogers, except for the spark of odium glittering in his hazel brown eyes.

                “You’d rather…rather die than be with me? Then die.” Mr. Rogers concluded with a bit of anger and hatred as he smashed the bronze scissor gate shut, and left Tony to be by himself in the elevator shaft. _He’s finally given up on me; it’s about time for that sicko to leave me alone_ …Tony pondered in respite as he found a lever on the gable of the elevator he is standing on, he lugged it for the elevator to move a bit upward making the cable lines squawk noisily. He went onto the ground, seeing how it is the floor right below the one that Mr. Rogers disappeared from, he continued to travel, but he bit his bottom slick lip out of agony because of his bloody wound. Tony began limping as he soon encountered another endless hall with another shaved partition with another unusual memo: “ _A woman’s work is never done_.”

                “Oh, it appears we will continue after all.” It was Mr. Rogers’s venomous vocals, as Tony was distraught that the cryptic man is nowhere to be found as if he was a phantom, he could not fathom how he has returned to hunt him down again. Tony eventually shuffled into a smaller chamber where there were stacks of desks and file cabinets distributed around, as its walls were made out of Stippolyte glass, and a lone massive dented locker was at the corner. He squatted low when he saw Mr. Rogers’s shadow glided across the blurry glass and then he paused, letting his head swing from right to left to try to locate Tony.

                “There is something special about you.” Mr. Rogers acknowledged as he could sense that Tony may be nearby, as Tony did not know where else to go, he made the mistake to go in this deserted office. Tony was frantic that he crawled over to go inside and stand within the vacant locker; he closed the door mutely as he was praying that Mr. Rogers will abandon the site.

                “Hmm, close…I can…ah, the smell of my love’s arbor. Darling, you can’t hide from me.” Mr. Rogers said in a seductive tenor, Tony felt his own heart plummet harshly as the blood in his veins pumped hotly, he instantly flung his hand to clamp over his mouth when he saw Mr. Rogers suddenly appear with his notorious face smiling with malevolence in front of the three horizontal slots in front of the locker. The metal rectangular box rattled a bit as Tony realized that Mr. Rogers was chaining it up to trap him inside of it, and then the entire container was flipped over by the cheerful blond and laid on the chapped ground.

                “You make yourself a gift for me, a delicacy to be unwrapped—and unwrapped again… and savored.” Mr. Rogers commented as he seemed content that he has captured Tony, he took the chain and heaved it to start dragging the locker behind him as he walked.

                “I’ve been a little…vulgar. I know, and I want to say I’m sorry. I just…you know how a man gets when he wants to know a woman.” Mr. Rogers easily hauled the heavy vessel with a toothy grin as Tony placed a hand on his head, feeling as if he banged it too hard by the impact; he was trying to confirm if Mr. Rogers was referring to him as a female.

                “But after the ceremony, when I’ve made an honest woman out of you…I promise I’ll be a different man.” Mr. Rogers continued as he was energetic and seemed to have made an authentic oath. _Why does he keep saying that I’m a girl? Is he blind?!_ Tony thought furiously as he then saw how the moving stopped; he looked to see Mr. Rogers stooped over to peer intensely at him with an attractive smile.

                “I want a family, a legacy... you can give that to me. I’ll never let anything happen to our children…” Mr. Rogers explained further as he slowly rubbed the surface of the locker where he can view Tony’s pretty face, Tony shrunk back in revulsion as he shook his head. Mr. Rogers picked up the iron container and made it stand right side up again, as he leaned incredibly close to the opening so that Tony could only see his sly lips.

                “You’ll have to wait here. I know you must be just as eager as I am to consummate our love. But try to enjoy the anticipation.” Mr. Rogers clarified as he left for a couple of seconds to make Tony clobber around in distress making the locker wobble aggressively.

                “Here, darling. This will help you relax.” Mr. Rogers resumed with a suspicious canister, he sprayed sleeping gas into the petite hole of the metallic container, Tony was forced to inhale it and felt his senses begin to numb. The light green vapor made Tony become unconscious as the last thing he was able to perceive was the abundance of cracklings of Mr. Rogers’s hearty laugh.

 

Tony Stark slowly opened his luminous russet lenses mixed with glassy hazel to awaken from the dizzy and sinister slumber, his pupils shrunk and the mesmerizing dye swirled underneath his solid black long lashes. They flapped entrancingly as he grunted at the blare of flashes of white artificial lights from an overhead truss were directed at him, he could feel the salty sweat begin to multiply rapidly by the high temperature of the bright radiation. He immediately noticed how he is laid down on a wooden platform with his arms stretched out for his wrists to be bind with rope against two posts, he is completely naked, seeing his clothes torn up and on the floor. Tony could not believe that his legs are spread wide apart with the ankles bound by cords on timber poles, his private parts were exposed explicitly, and he could not budge as he struggled in this captivity. Mr. Rogers strolled by to position himself to the left side; he began stroking Tony’s right leg with fascination.

                “You have such amazing bone structure. Such soft skin…so beautiful…” Mr. Rogers purred rather hypnotically as he began circling his rough fingers upon the china white flesh.

                “Just stop it already!” Tony grouched as Mr. Rogers ignored the fiery remark and crossed over to the other side; he seemed engrossed by Tony’s upper torso since he had a pensive look.

                “Don’t need to fix anything here, it’s perfect. They are a good size for our infants to suckle on. My, you’re a big girl aren’t you?” Mr. Rogers muttered with a definite response as he squeezed Tony’s breast to feel the velvet texture squish so desirably in his palm, he then tweaked the strawberry red nipple to cause Tony to jolt upward in surprise and make a high pitch shrill.

                “What the hell are you talking about?!” Tony yelped out as he saw Mr. Rogers pick up a long corroded machete and then went over to be in front of Tony’s open legs.

                “It won’t take long. Hmm, cut away the unnecessary, for a soft place to welcome my seed, to grow our family.”

                “Oh god—you don’t mean—!”

                “I will make the incision quick. Just close your eyes and think of our children.” Mr. Rogers concluded as Tony barely registered in his mind that this psychopath is planning to slice off his groin and testicles, Mr. Rogers must believe that these are useless portions that will impede Tony from conceiving babies. Mr. Rogers, with his corrupted mental state, must be disillusioned that Tony is a woman since he is quite an irresistible beauty. However, there is a secret fact that he actually does have the rare capacity to become pregnant and give birth. He is probably the only man who can, since years ago he made the eccentric decision to volunteer himself as an experiment, back when Von Doom Corporation use to be a good organization. At the time, he was about eighteen years old and was willing to do anything for science that he was part of the research of the possibility that men can experience childbearing like women. The project rearranged Tony’s reproductive system to work like ovaries, he is able to function and keep his original parts like a regular male, the only thing that changed was that it lowered his sperm count a bit to produce artificial eggs. Luckily for him, he does not have to go through periods like women, but he does release the unused eggs when he uses the bathroom. Of course the test was a triumph, since it further expanded the field to help unfertile females to be able to have kids of their own.

                “No, don’t do it!” Tony screamed out as he was writhing, Mr. Rogers has already grasped Tony’s cock and had the serrated blade near its base; he glanced up to look at him.

                “I must, it is the only way for us to have children.”

                “I’m different; I can have kids with those. Besides, you said so yourself, I’m special.”

                “Hmm, that is true…” Mr. Rogers responded as he was a bit uncertain if he should continue his task, or maybe he should consider killing Tony and preserve his stunning corpse, so no one may have him. Tony felt helpless as he had to think of something quick to save his own life from being taken away, he figured he needed to please Mr. Rogers, to satisfy his emotional side, to bring out that amorous gentleman instead of the cruel beast.

                “I’ll marry you; let me be your bride!” Tony blurted out impulsively as it soon dawned on him that he is going to regret this, Mr. Rogers tossed the threatening weapon to stab the façade and create a gash on the concrete.

                “Ah, she says yes. Oh you have made me very happy!” Mr. Rogers exclaimed as he was filled with eagerness and such exploding bliss, he started ripping away the filaments that constricted Tony’s limbs as Tony was in disbelief that he just agreed to become a lunatic’s spouse. Tony was finally liberated and he felt Mr. Rogers instantly clutched him by his curvy hips and pulled him up to be standing on his feet again. The bewildered brunette was puzzled when he saw how the severe injury that was above his ankle is gone, Mr. Rogers must have done something miraculous to erase such a nasty laceration, he wondered if this mad man is in involved with the supernatural. Tony blushed into a wine red dye when he felt Mr. Rogers just passionately embrace him with one arm slung across his smooth buttery back as he had his other hand grasped the back of his skull to let a swarm of rich dark tresses of hair to coil around his curled fingers. Mr. Rogers bent a bit forward since Tony is short compared to him, he made a conniving smile and his lips were close to his ear.

                “Please, tell me your name, my darling.” Mr. Rogers requested as his warm breath looped into the cavern of Tony’s ear, Tony quaked when he felt Mr. Rogers snaked his hand downward and fondled with Tony’s left butt cheek, kneading the pudgy skin and feeling the bundle of scrumptious flesh jiggle.

                “It’s Tony Stark.”

                “It must be short for the name Antonia, how adorable. Yes, I shall call you Tony.”

                “Umm, so what about you?”

                “Steven Grant Rogers.”

                “That’s a—nice name.”

                “I am quite the lucky man to have wooed such a celestial being.” Steve said joyfully as he wrapped his appendage around Tony’s waistline and started to lead him to the adjacent room, as Tony noted that his camcorder was left behind on a medical tray near the tortured board. Tony made a repulsed face furtively since he thought that Steve did not court him, he was basically pursuing him around and threatening him this whole time. They soon went inside an obscure dwelling that is voluminous; the place was infested with countertops with sowing machines and rolls of a variety of textiles. Tony observed that there were numerous of mannequins that are molded into the shape of a woman; every single lifeless model was clothed with unique and marvelous gowns.

                “Come, I have made you your wedding dress. Put it on.” Steve mentioned as he and Tony paused in front of a figurine that donned on the magnificent outfit. Tony could feel his right eye twitch that Steve is forcing him to wear such a feminine costume; it was sort of impressive that Steve has designed such a wonderful frock, but it just shocked him that he has to wear it. By the strong influence of fear, he obeyed unenthusiastically. Tony slipped into it; it was a strapless bodice style pure white dress, the lacy floral corset top of the gown is semi-transparent and it exposed his shoulder blades on the back. It pushed up his breasts in an erotic fashion and it tightened around his flanks to show off his tasty curves. The airy skirt has two layers, the first one is a solid creamy color and the one overlaying it is a see-through texture as the ruffled trimmed hem that is designed with fancy flowery stitching touched the ground. Tony perched his hands on his delicious hips and examined every single feature with disgust though he appeared so beguiling in the winter design frock. He then had to place his feet inside a pair of matching high heels that had its stilettos decorated with sequins and on its back was ornamented with soft swan feathers.

                “So divine, like a goddess.” Steve complimented as he was enthralled by the flawless display, he snatched the headdress from the doll’s bald top. He placed a diamond encrusted bridal tiara upon Tony’s head; the translucent veil gracefully cascaded down for its end to flow on the floor. Steve then removed his soiled fingerless gloves and threw them on the countertop, where he grabbed his tuxedo jacket and put it on.

                “Can you wipe your face? I don’t really like the idea of someone’s blood on you.” Tony spoke up with a pained expression; Steve saw his look of repugnance that he instantly took a rag and began to clean off his dangerously enticing mien.

                “You’re right, it would be improper to appear in such a manner.”

                “Exactly, unless you want to call off the wedding—“

                “Of course not, it shall proceed as planned. Let us go, my bride.” Steve interrupted as he thought Tony was being humorous instead of being serious; he hastily gripped Tony by his arm and towed him to rush into another mystifying room. Tony saw that the region was poorly lit, it had rows of many chairs; some were thrown over, as there was a single strip of a snow white carpet that was yellowing, lead up to the small steps of the altar where discolored drapes hung. As his arm was forcibly folded into Steve’s they walked down the aisle to trample upon the acrid petals of dead roses that have become brittle and brown as the train of Tony’s wedding dress trailed and his refined veil floating behind him. They soon stood upon the altar face-to-face as Steve grasped both of Tony’s hands in front of them, there seems to be a hunger blazing in his ice blue eyes.      

                “How can we get married? There is no priest.” Tony reasoned as he was trying to find methods to change Steve’s choice, and have this arrangement canceled.

                “We don’t need one; there is nothing that can stop us. Don’t you worry.” Steve uttered an amused chuckle as he compressed Tony’s hands tighter.

                “What about witnesses?”

                “Oh you silly little thing, we are the ones who matter, not them.”

                “I was just making sure.” Tony responded with his heart sinking into despair as he realized that he has to accept his inevitable fate, and let Steve indulge in the fantasy that they are going to live in a wonderful matrimony. Steve then started to dig around the inside of his jacket pocket to take out a simple golden band; he placed the hoop unto his own finger.

                “I, Steve Rogers, take thee, Tony Stark as my wedded wife to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, thereto I pledge myself to you.” Mr. Rogers recited without hesitation, as if he rehearsed the traditional speech for years; he pulled out a pricy ring with a large diamond with an intertwined band that is studded with rubies and sapphires. He seized Tony’s trembling hand and slipped the expensive ring on his index finger.

                “And I, Tony Stark, take—Steve Rogers as my wedded husband… to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health… to love and to cherish… till death do us part… thereto I pledge myself to you…” Tony delivered reluctantly; it was agonizing to repeat such romantic words from wedding vows to a madman who is monstrous.

                “Now we are man and wife.” Steve established with a sinister smile as he clutched Tony by his round juicy cold shoulders. He kissed Tony feverishly as his ravenous lips collided against Tony’s scarlet red tissues; it was a brutal contact in which Tony hysterically could hear the raucous wet smack of skin slapping against each other. Tony felt his body freeze up as his hands tightened into fists as Steve lingered to suck on Tony’s unwilling mouth that was attempting to withdraw. It almost seemed like Steve was devouring Tony as he rammed the head of his tongue inside, gulping down Tony’s sugary flavor. Tony did not know how long Steve was going to stay in this one-sided smooch, he felt a deluge of water swell inside his eye sockets. He felt them trickle down his heated high cheek boned visage, the crystal droplets rolled down like a running waterfall as he made a soft sorrowful moan. _Is this what my life has come down to, to be his slave…why me…?_ Tony thought with despondence as his beautiful veil swayed, Steve finally stopped the activity and was startled to see Tony’s beatific countenance drenched with salty drops that dribbled from the corners of his shimmering honey eyes.

                “Darling, why are you crying?” Steve questioned distrustfully as Tony was overwhelmed by fright that he knew he had to hide his true feelings.

                “Oh, these are tears of joy. I’m happy, that’s all.” Tony lied with a wispy voice as he smeared away the shiny beads of water with the back of his hand and lowered his head in shame as Steve looked incredibly thrilled by the statement.

                “It is a joyous occasion; I can understand how your emotions would break out, for that I adore you even more.” Steve replied avidly as he curled his hand to cradle Tony’s quivering chin and lifted his head up to gaze into the flints of gold and autumn brown in Tony’s soulful eyes.

                “I just want to…please…you…” Tony tentatively choked up as he felt as if he was only trying to protect his own life from death; he did not like how Steve quirked his left light eyebrow upward in a conspiratorial manner.

                “Oh I am glad to hear that, but we will be gratifying one another. Let our honeymoon commence!” Steve declared zealously as he immediately picked up Tony, carrying him bridal style as Tony made a small yap as he had to wrap his arms around Steve’s neck. Steve walked down the lane to take a detour to the right side to go into a prolonged corridor as Tony was both scared and curious of where Steve is transferring him. The refined rawhide soles of Steve’s formal shoes thumped loudly like boisterous thunder on the weak boarded floor as Tony saw how they were approaching a dense ancient door that was opened by a crack. Steve refused for Tony’s feet to touch the ground yet that he kicked open the entry, Tony became perplexed since he felt as they entered into a brand new different realm that can only seem to come from fabulous dreams. It was vast master bedroom with a big beige couch that encircled a coffee table with a crystallized surface that held a vase filled with virgin valley lilies. The lofty paneled windows were fixed with iron slabs, but it still spilled out the silver luminosity of the moonlight as they were adorned with caramel colored Crisscross Swags curtains that hung on the brackets. There is a massive chandelier on the ceiling that is festooned with priceless sparkling gems of emerald and tanzanite, with tiny umbrella shaped lights that flooded the private quarters with a warm vermillion hue. The platform bed was huge with an upholstered plush headboard with the unwrinkled sheets seemed regal by their bronze dye and fancy embroidery, as the bedstead has erected pillars with royal silk drapes tacked on them and there is an elegant canopy overhead. Tony was flabbergasted how the residence is so immense that it expanded further into a Victorian parlor area where a cobblestone hearth was burning the logs and lashing out red-orange flames to eliminate the chilly air to make the atmosphere comfortable. There was a black lacquered grand piano with its bench near the limestone fireplace, and including a medium sized ebony table that is covered with a white linen cloth that had two tucked in chairs across one another. The region is quite extraordinary and Tony discovered that there are other extravagant doors that led to more ostentatious chambers, almost making it seem as if they have just moved in to their new home. Steve jerked out his foot backwards to make his heel to completely close the door, leaving the miseries and ruins of the tainted asylum. The blond gently settled Tony down to sit on the edge of the mattress near the fat pillows that are stuffed with goose plumes.

                “Welcome to our love nest, I have worked hard to create this sanctuary just for us.” Steve clarified with a tantalizing tone in his deep vocals as he went on his knees in front of Tony, his worn-out hands felt the brush of satin lace when he clutched the curvilinear flanks of Tony’s flawless body.

                “You actually made all this, right inside this horrible building?” Tony asked with amazement as he was getting the impression that Steve is some sort of artist if he has such whimsical visions.

                “My father has told me that one of the ways to show love to your future wife, is to build her a house. So I did, I made this for you, you deserve only the best, my darling.” Steve answered dreamily as he laid his head slightly sideways for his cheek to rest upon Tony’s lap, directly on the puffy skirt of the wedding dress for the sateen fabric to rub his skin.

                “This must have taken you a while, huh.”

                “It took me years to finish, I wanted to make a place where no one can hurt us…this is our home and our world. No one will find us.”

                “No one…?”

                “Quite right, dearest.”

                “Not even…the cannibal who wanders around this asylum?” Tony questioned with inquisitiveness as he felt awkward when he touched Steve’s icy cheek and settled his hand there to trick Steve that he is in love with him. When Tony was roving through the beginning levels of the institution, after he escaped the torment procedure of the Morphogenic Engine, he encountered a malformed man named Frank Manera who underwent Project Walrider and has been tarnished along with the other patients. Tony saw him through the zooming lens of his camcorder, in the cafeteria, to see the ugly male with thinning gray hair and a shaggy beard; he was eating a dead headless human being that lay on top of a counter. It was a repulsive sight to see Frank use his sharp teeth to yank out intestines and engulf huge quantities of flesh and organs. Unfortunately, Frank began chasing Tony for a long period of time with a handheld electric saw, screaming at Tony with the disturbing words, “Feed me, feed me, feed me!” It was until Frank managed to capture Tony and flung him into a cremation furnace to burn him alive so he can consume Tony’s lifeless scalded meat. Tony had to repeatedly pound his fist against the stoned end of the oven since he noticed how it was already lined with fissures, he was able to get out with no harm done to him, leaping out of the crumpled brick and hearing Frank lament in a wrathful shout: “You were mine!” Frank is still probably roaming around in the darkness of the asylum, but it was odd that he no longer preyed upon Tony, exactly the moment he journeyed into the territory of “The Groom” or Steve Rogers.

                “He wouldn’t dare come here, he fears me, just like everyone else in this place.” Steve mentioned an interesting remark as he enjoyed how his new wife coddled his cheek so amiably.

                “So he won’t come down where we are at?”

                “Though I am a lover, I am quite the heartless fighter. My strength surpasses his. If he even tries to eat you, I’ll kill him, and I’ll give you his heart as a trophy.”

                “No, that’s okay—that’s sweet of you…?” Tony felt his sentence become dubious as he could almost puke of the idea.

                “Let us forget about that vile man, let him continue to try to satisfy his gluttony with all those corpses scattered around.”

                “If you say so.”

                “Now, my darling, as quoted from Shakespeare’s _Othello_ , we shall make ‘The beast with two backs.’” Steve replied with an aroused rumble that vibrated in his throat as he guided Tony to lie flat on his back, Steve climbed on top of Tony with a naughty smirk as Tony felt his eyes bulge out. He sadly comprehended the euphemistic metaphor to know that Steve is determined to have sexual intercourse with him. Tony felt Steve’s two hundred and thirty pounds of pure muscle crush his smaller frame; Steve flung his tuxedo jacket to tumble on the furry carpet, he hastily tugged his vest and dress shirt open for the buttons to pop to expose his brawny chest and the deep clefts of his six-packed abdomen. He yanked the bowtie to come undone and let it hang loosely around his neck, as he unhooked the silver buckle of his belt for it to chime and he whipped off the leather strap to slip out of the loopholes of his trousers, he unzipped his black pants as the clothing precariously clung onto his fit midriff. Steve was filled with so much lust as he swiftly removed the crown with the dainty veil from Tony’s head, throwing the circlet over the bed without care.

                “What the—!” Tony barked out as he felt Steve smooching and nipping the hollow line in between his cuddled prurient breasts, soaking the thin lacy material of the corset top of the wedding dress with Steve’s saliva dripping in sopping long threads. Steve nuzzled the tip of his angular nose upward to feel the heated ivory skin of Tony’s neck, he began suckling harshly on its flank, and he flicked his rapacious tongue upon the delectable tendons. He then bit down so hard with his pearly white canines clinching the delicate epidermis; he swallowed down the appetizing perfume while bruising Tony by the twist of his teeth. Tony squirmed underneath the burly body as he tried to push Steve off of him by grappling his broad shoulders, Steve could not be moved that he slithered his right hand down to haul down the bodice structure of the unsoiled frock so he can reveal Tony’s ripe bosom. However, Tony frenziedly clamped over Steve’s large hand to stop him from doing that. Steve tried to overlook the action and snake his hand under Tony’s back to grab a hold of the petite zipper to disrobe him, he began unfastening it until he felt Tony grasp his wrist and threw the sneaking limb away from his backside. Tony was beyond frightened as he was trying to think of a way to not make Steve odious and furious enough to slaughter him in the end, he obviously does not want to have sex with this maniac, there had to be a method to avert this detestable situation.

                “Why aren’t you putting out?! Dammit, you teasing little whore!” Steve was becoming frustrated since Tony was not reacting and he kept shoving him away from him. Tony found the statement so idiotic, but it actually gave him an epiphany, he realized that he could use this insult to his advantage; he has to once again reach out to Steve’s gentleman side. If Steve still thinks that Tony is a good woman, then he better start acting like one. Tony was puzzled of what kind of mental illness Steve suffers from, was he bipolar, and since he can one moment be such a benevolent character lighted with amore, and the other is a vicious brute that is capable of both physical and verbal attacks.

                “Did you really just call me that?!” Tony bellowed out with a false rage as he was already putting his ploy in practice, he was able to crawl out under Steve’s entrapment and lay on his left leg to glare at the confused blond.

                “What did I say?!”

                “I just became your wife, and you have the nerve to offend me and my virtue. How can I ever call you my husband if this is the way you’re going to treat me for the rest of our lives together!” Tony hollered out with deceitful woe as he buried his face into his palms to appear as if he was crying uncontrollably.              

                “My darling, I am so sorry! I do not know what came over me—“Steve apologized sincerely as he seemed guilty of being so severe with his spouse, he tried to put his hand on Tony’s shivering shoulder, but Tony slapped his limb away with a strict smack.

                “You know I was starting to get into the mood to make hot love, but you had to go ahead and ruin our wedding night by calling me a common prostitute!”

                “I shall not repeat this error, please forgive me and let us cast it away and resume our activity.”

                “Don’t try to sweeten me up. I’m going to bed, if you’re lucky, I won’t be so pissed in the morning.” Tony made a defiant conclusion as he flapped the velveteen skirt of his wedding dress to let his buttermilk athletic legs to be a bit disclosed so he could let his heated skin to cool off. He flopped to rest on his left side so he would not have to look at Steve anymore, he felt irritated that he had to pull up the corset top of the snowy gown since Steve was yanking it down earlier.

                “Then I will try to earn your favor again. You are my wife after all, and I live for nobody else but you.” Steve responded solemnly as he took his place next to Tony, observing how the entrancing crannies of Tony’s shoulder blades shifted a bit. The half-naked blond lied quite close to Tony, he swathed his robust arm around Tony and pressed his palm on top of Tony’s stomach. Tony made a scoff to disguise his fear as he had to allow Steve to let him at least touch him a bit, to make it seem as if he yearns to have mercy on his husband because he loves him.

                “You did hurt me—“

                “I know…I’ll somehow make it right again…oh how you remind me right now of William Blake’s work: _My Pretty Rose Tree_.” Steve said as his hot breath blew upon the nape of Tony’s neck, he softly nosed the luscious dark strands of Tony’s glossy hair, he then began to recite a few verses from the poem:

_Then I went to my Pretty Rose-tree,_

_To tend to her by day and by night._

_But my Rose turned away with jealousy,_

_And her thorns were my only delight._

 

Steve Rogers then fell into a deep sleep as Tony shuddered with disdain as he knew that Steve is comparing him to the rose with briars, Steve was the gardener in charge of sustaining and loving the beautiful plant who seems to reject him with negative feelings, but he still adores the rose. Tony felt as he could not close his own eyes that are blown with fraught. _If he thinks I am his rose, and then I must be William Blake’s other poem: The Sick Rose_ …Tony dejectedly thought as he felt the words from the old poem rush back in his mind:

_O Rose, thou art sick._

_The invisible worm_

_That flies in the night_

_In the howling storm_

_Has found out thy bed,_

_Of crimson joy,_

_And his dark secret love_

_Does thy life destroy._

 

The despicable worm mentioned was to Tony as the representation of Steve, he has wiggled into his life, seeking out to give him such malicious affection that will slowly murder him. Tony was not certain if he’ll be able to live long enough to endure this inferno, soon he will run out of excuses for Steve not to make love to him. He felt his heart lurch out of the fact that he is now the wife of a psycho, his own nightmares sleeping right beside him, in the form of a lovesick blond male. Tony stared at his own wedding ring with gloom and abhorrence, seeing the diamond and cut stones glint around his index finger, wanting to vomit of the reality that he is now Mrs. Tony Rogers…   


	2. The Fear of Domesticity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony copes on being Steve's wife, and he feels more compelled to escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Steve does something nasty to Tony towards the second half of this chapter.

      It was the next day and the morning light splashed through the barricaded crystal windows, it glowed a mystifying white-yellow dye since there was a dense fog cloaking outside Mount Massive Asylum. Tony Stark woke up with a slight headache as he cracked open the slits of his eyes that were glazed with blankness, the sun’s weak rays beautifully reflected off his brilliant chocolate irises. He grunted as he was upset that he is still within the fortified walls of this institution, he was annoyed when he noticed how he was still wearing his wedding dress from the hellish night. Tony started to sit up, and then he made a frightened wail and scooted backwards too far to whack the back of his skull against the headboard of the bed. He was startled by seeing Steve Rogers seated in front of him, holding an ornate silver tray that carried a plate that is hidden underneath a semi-circular bowl. Tony noted how Steve changed out of his dashing tuxedo to wear simple clothing, it was a plaid blue shirt with three of the black pins unhooked on the top to expose a morsel of his sturdy chest, the sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, and he has on black khakis. Once again Tony was grossed out since Steve has splotches of crimson blood that leaked and coated his forearms and on the center of his gullet.

                “Holy crap, you really need to stop popping up like that. And what did I say about having blood on you?!” Tony scolded fiercely as he had to plant his own hand against his heaving bosom as he was trying to hush his distempered breath.

                “I decided to get you something to eat.” Steve responded as he removed the covering to reveal the dish, Tony instantly clasped both of his medium sized hands over his nose and mouth. He stared with revulsion seeing that it was hacked pieces of a human arm; it looked a bit fresh since there were creeks of dark blood oozing from the cut portions.

                “Where did you—?”

                “I found a fellow near the staircase, he spoke in different voices. So I slaughtered him for you, so you may have your fill.” Steve explained as he thrust out the platter towards Tony who shoved it away vehemently. Tony realized that Steve killed off the variant named Dennis who has a split personality, the man who was planning to deliver Tony to Steve in the first place; he never would have thought the mentally ill patient would end up being his breakfast.

                “Wow, you’re so—thoughtful. It’s just I wanna to watch my weight, you know. I wanna look good for you.” Tony fabricated another lie since he was not going to transform into a cannibal like Frank Manera, he was obviously pretending to be on a diet so Steve would not be driven to an unquenchable fury.

                “Ah, you are wise. We do want to preserve that perfect body of yours.” Steve agreed with a small smile as he was fooled by Tony’s trick that he set the tray aside, he used the handkerchief that was folded near the revolting meal and moped up all the blood streaks from him.

                “Umm, since you went back out there, did you get my camcorder?” Tony reluctantly asked as Steve flung the dirty rag on the plate, the blond seemed slightly confused.

                “Do you mean that little box you had with you yesterday?”

                “Yes, where is it?”

                “It’s exactly where it was left, why do you desire it so much?”

                “Well it’s a great device, it can record special moments. I was hoping to have it so we can make memories together and then someday look back at them.” Tony invented another fraud statement, as he was anxious to get it back because it holds the necessary evidence to expose the wickedness of the Von Doom Corporation. He must send the information to Miles Upshur so he can recount the horrifying tales of Mount Massive Asylum, publish the news, arrest and shut down the organization forever. Tony was dumbstruck of how Steve does not even know what exactly a camcorder is, he wondered how old this man is, even though he looks like he is in his late twenties.

                “It sounds amazing, I shall retrieve it soon enough.”

                “Then I’ll go get it.”

                “No my darling, it is too dangerous out there for you. There are other Variants that I am sure are looking to terminate you. Don’t fret; I will get it when the time is proper.” Steve clarified as he forbid Tony from exiting their safe haven and venture back into the asylum, he could not tolerate the idea of Frank Manera or any other insane man try to strike Tony down and rob his life. Steve got up and opened the cubby of the oak drawer that is next to the mattress, he took out a soft cloth.

                “Okay, I guess I can understand.” Tony replied half-heartedly as he saw how Steve handed him over a folded outfit.

                “As much as I love you in your wedding dress, I would suspect you don’t want to spoil it. Here, you can change into something lighter.” Steve said as he motioned Tony to go ahead and wear the clothes he gave him, Steve then occupied himself to open a closet on the right side of the platform bed and start to rummage through it. Tony was reassured that Steve was busy; he shuffled out of his milky white marriage gown and held up to look at the new garb, he secretly whined pitifully since it was another girly get-up. He put it on with humiliation as he saw it was a 1940’s ink black frock that could be mistaken to look modern, it has pink straps with a sweetheart style, with a print of fuchsia flowers and green vines, and the hem of the skirt flowed down to touch his kneecaps. Ugh, not another dress…Tony complained in his spiteful thoughts as he faced Steve’s backside, tapping his high heel impatiently. Steve managed to find a tool belt and slung it around his waist since he plans to do some handy work; he swiped an extra cloth and turned to look at Tony. The blond was enchanted of how mesmerizing his wife is as he swiftly spun around his wife’s back and tied another garment on him.

                “Hey, what gives?” Tony inquired with exasperation as he noted how that he has been also forced to put on a light pink polka dotted apron with frilly straps with a fat bow on the right of his ribcage area as the hem looked like a ruffled mini skirt. Tony did not know how much more Steve can de-masculinize him.

                “You’re going to need it; I’ll be working around the place, while you make us some supper.” Steve enlightened as he grabbed Tony’s hand and dragged him to the kitchen, Tony could not help but feel that Steve’s thoughts are so old-fashioned, the husband works and the wife cooks.

                “I can’t cook; I’m so bad that I even burned boiled water once.” Tony spoke the truth, he may be a genius in science and mathematics, but he was no master in the culinary arts, he usually eats fast food or take-out.

                “Then just practice, do what you can.” Steve said with encouragement as Tony was stunned of the kindness emitting from Steve’s low voice. They soon arrived in the gigantic Victorian kitchen that seemed like every housewife’s dream, as there were so many vanilla white cabinets aligned and drilled against the wall that are filled with different silverware, dishes, and exotic foods. In the middle, there was a stand with a glossy granite countertop where there were glass containers holding a variety of ripe fruits and a gray bucket with a quartz bottle of champagne inside of it. There is the creative touch of a large stove that is parked within the parameters of a marble frame to make it look like a hearth. The clean sink was near the titanium tall refrigerator as there were a couple of storage cupboards that are filled with pots and skillets. Steve snatched a thick white cooking book that sat on the tile surface near the sink, he plopped the text on Tony’s palms, as he started pinching Tony’s left cheek with his index finger and thumb affectionately.

                “This should help you get an idea.” Steve responded as the tools aligned on his heavy belt jingled melodiously as Tony withdrew a bit so Steve could stop playing with his face.

                “You gotta be joking.”

                “I’m sure you’re literate, following directions should be no problem. Now, you better get started.”

                “And what will you be doing this whole time?” Tony demanded to know as Steve made a light chuckle.

                “I’m going to fix the drainage for tub in the bathroom. Do not think of me as someone who is idle, my parents have raised me to be a working man.” Steve replied with a hazardous tenor in his tough vocals as he seemed a bit irked, Tony realized that he was making him livid, he had to take heed to the red flag.

                “What I was trying to ask is if you want something specific to eat, you know like a favorite dish.”

                “My, I have such a good woman, desiring to please me. I do not have a preference, but I do thank you. Whatever you make, I’m sure I’ll like it.”

                “Well, okay, then I’ll get dinner ready.”

                “That’s my baby girl.” Steve concluded with happiness as he made a frisky spank on Tony’s lush finely arched derrière and strolled out the area while whistling a gleeful tune, Tony was seething as he rubbed his butt with his left hand that felt sore from that hard swat since Steve has such unholy strength. He was fuming of the notion that he has to basically cook for a man he completely loathes; he dropped the book on the limestone countertop for it to flip on a random page and decided that he’ll make a traditional American dish. Tony ducked under to grab a couple of metallic pots from a short cubby, and he belligerently tossed them on top of the stove making a cacophony of loud bashing.

                “What was that noise? You’re not hurt are you?” It was Steve’s concerned voice calling out, it made Tony uneasy that Steve is actually paying attention to every sound and movement he is doing in the kitchen, despite being far away.

                “I’m fine, I just accidently dropped some stuff…sweetie-pie.” Tony shouted back as he sarcastically added the pet name, he rolled his eyes out of aggravation and then he swore under his breath.

                “Well, all right, but do be careful. Remember, you are precious cargo.” Steve said as Tony was not surprised that Steve would see him as some sort of property or merchandise, since Steve’s possessive attitude was conspicuous. Tony made a long exasperating sigh as he twisted the knobs of the stove to turn on the flames, he had this temptation to poison the food he is about to make, but he figured it would be useless since Steve’s body is constructed to be resilient, especially if he does survive the venom, he would think Tony betrayed him and would not be merciful, Tony knew he would be a dead man if he carried out such a horrendous idea. Steve would probably be able to detect the toxic since his sense of smell is so keen; it is one of the reasons why he was able to locate Tony so rapidly during the chase within the asylum. Tony grudgingly had to be an obedient wife to satisfy his insane husband, he has no love for this man who dismantled both his life and identity.

 

It was approximately four forty-eight in the dismal daylight hours, Steve Rogers entered the flamboyant Victorian parlor, and he unclipped his utility belt and placed it on top of a hickory drawer. He saw Tony Stark (Rogers) arrived to set down Steve’s and his own meal on the round ebony table, Steve took his seat and Tony sat across from him. It was obvious that Tony had some trouble in the kitchen since there was an extensive white powdery line which looks like flour on the bridge of his nose, his skin appeared slimy and brown, probably from the usage of too much cooking oil. Tony was not proud of the results, but he did not care since he was practically forced to make supper for Steve, he was hoping it would make Steve barf or become ill. He made smashed potatoes but they looked a bit doughy, Tony also did not know what spices to use so he ended up mixing in lemon and rosemary. Also he prepared some green beans; they looked slippery and fried for its edges to be crispy, making them look a bit foul. The last food he did was cooked beef, the meat was burnt and cut crookedly and it seem to have an excess amount of fat that it leaked out a puddle of light brown grease. Even Tony found his own creations to appear unappetizing as he could already hear Steve use his silverware to slice and prop the different portions into his mouth.

                “It’s bad, right?” Tony spoke up as he scooped up a bit of the potatoes, by the flavor he could tell that it needed to be more concentrated since it seemed a little grainy.

                “Not at all, I think you made a good effort. I like it.” Steve simply commented as he continued to enjoy the dinner, as Tony was convinced that Steve is either being nice or that his taste buds are terrible.

                “You’re just saying that to not hurt my feelings.” Tony responded as he was a little too exhausted from being able to eat that he only ate small quantities from his own plate.

                “I promise you that I am telling you the truth.”

                “Sure, I’ll believe you for now; I’ll try to get better.”

                “This is exactly how I would imagine this moment to be.” Steve replied as it was noticed that the note of his masculine voice was strumming with a jubilant chord, he was quite swift that he consumed all the contents from his dish and he rested his thick arms on the verge of the table. 

                “What do you mean?” Tony questioned with his left dark eyebrow cocking upward in suspicion as he set down his fork.

                “The idea of my beautiful wife making dinner for the first time, and I having the privilege to eat the choice foods that she has made with her own hands.” Steve accounted as his handsome mien soften, Tony was about to reprimand Steve for referring him as a ‘she’, but he thought it was worthless to try since he is stubborn.

                “Uh-huh, okay. Well, I’m done.” Tony merely said as he was not certain how to react to that, he blew a sharp breath out of discomfort and dropped his napkin on his picked food. He pushed his chair back and stood up; he became disconcerted when Steve performed the same action simultaneously.

                “Thank you for making dinner. You deserve a reward.”

                “Oh so what do I win?” Tony inquired with an awful feeling as he saw Steve encircled behind him, Steve untied and peeled off the blemished apron off of Tony.

                “I was able to fix the tub, so I want you to get in there and take a nice long hot bath.” Steve whispered as his smiling lips were near Tony’s ear, every word he uttered was dripping with tantalization.

                “It sounds—good.”

                “Go on, and relax for a while.” Steve responded with his alluring deep vocals as he pressed a sloppy kiss on Tony’s cheek. Tony headed towards the door that Steve pointed for him to go in; he soon entered to see that the bathroom was ridiculously enormous. There were a few wide glass mirrors that hung on the smooth tan walls, a lengthy Namibian gold granite countertop sink that held potted green plants, and a spotless porcelain toilet with its lid down. On the far right side of the room was a small platform that led up to a standing prism with crystal clear doors for a person to take a shower in, there was a flat stool next to it that had a few folded white towels on top of it. All the way to the left part of the chamber was the bath tub that Steve repaired, Tony was thunderstruck of how it seemed more like an outdoor pool. He climbed up the three short steps to examine the square shaped structure that has a tile wall with a shelf that had a few scented candles and a black bowl that contained rolls of petite rags. Tony turned on the facet to let warm water rush inside the large tub; he easily stripped off the raven black floral dress and flung it on the linoleum. He then twisted the valve to stop the flow of hydrogen; he slowly let himself waddle in seeing how the water reached directly below his chest when he decided to sit in it. Tony felt the piping hot fluid massage his aching skin as he watched the thin steam rise in a rhythmic pattern; he massaged his sore neck with his hand to relieve the tension, he could not be fully serene since he could not stop thinking about his abandoned camcorder. _I hope nothing has happened to it, no one will believe me if the evidence is destroyed…they’ll just think I’m crazy_ …Tony rationally thought as he was still outraged that he was not able to contact Miles Upshur. He has read a few snippets about this brash journalist, Tony has heard he is now a self-employed man, Miles was fired from his previous job for publishing inappropriate content in the area of Afghanistan. Tony feels that there still has to be a way to communicate with him; he needs Miles’s help in proving how the nightmares in Mount Massive Asylum are real. Unfortunately, his laptop was broken to pieces from his former boss, he cannot write a letter to Miles since his husband will intercept it, misinterpret the desperate message, and get into a fit of jealousy and murder Tony for supposedly being an unfaithful spouse. There is hardly anything that Tony could do, Steve won’t allow him to leave the ‘safety’ of their house, and he is constantly watching Tony. Not to mention that returning to the dark maze of the institution itself will still put him in a perilous situation, there are Variants still out there, not to mention Frank Manera, and another frightening enemy named Chris Walker. He was an ex-military officer who became a Variant and he is a buff man with the absence of lips and a nose, he is infamous for his brutal physical power and likes to rip the heads off of people and keep them as his prizes. Tony met him before he stumbled into Steve’s zone, he was in a control room to use the short-wave radio to contact the authorities, but his boss came crashing into the scene to start choking him to death since he does not want the truth of Von Doom Corporation to be uncovered. Until Chris Walker charged into the area and slew his employer, in a strange way, Walker saved his life, but the ex-soldier noticed Tony and started pursuing him to kill him as well. Walker has only one goal, and that is to murder every living person within the asylum, it was discovered that he did this so that way the released Walrider won’t have any bodies to take over. Tony was debating if he should somehow sneak out of this ‘sanctuary’ that Steve formed and go back into the labyrinth where other lunatics are waiting to murder him. He felt stressed as his velvet cheeks were tinged with a bright pink by the heat of the water he was in, as a few droplets dangled on his pretty jawline and cling on the mesmerizing pathways of his neck and collar bone. Tony suddenly stiffened when he heard the bathroom door open. _Oh crap, I forgot to lock the door!_ He saw Steve come inside nonchalantly as Tony immediately slunk lower into the water as he crossed his arms to conceal his bare bosom.

                “What are you doing here?! Get out!”

                “I’m just here to wash my hands. Besides, it’s not like I haven’t seen you naked before.” Steve clarified with a loud laugh as he splashed his hands into the sink’s cold liquid. Tony can only bitterly think that Steve was the one who ripped off his clothes and bound him on a torture board just yesterday.

                “You could have used the kitchen sink.” Tony articulated with a growl as he watched how Steve dried up his hands from the towel that sat on a metal rack.

                “I prefer this one.” Steve replied with a sly tenor as he walked over to go up the steps, he stood next to the edge of the giant bath tub to peer down at Tony.

                “You’re done now, so go away.”

                “What’s the rush, darling?”

                “You probably have better things to do than see me like this.”

                “Actually I don’t.” Steve responded as the provocative tone lowered, he delightfully gazed at his beatific wife whose high cheek boned visage was highlighted with a scorching scarlet red blush. He was enthralled of seeing how the transparent drops trickled down the etched lines of his slim pumped biceps and swim down on the arcs of his saporous breasts, making the healthy ruddy nipples soft and tempting to suck on. Even the smallest action seemed so sexual, including the way how Tony’s natural jet black long eyelashes were moist as they slowly battered, and how the watery beads would drip and cling on to his sensual cerise red parted lips.

                “You sure?”

                “Yes. And by the way, would like some extra body heat?” Steve questioned purposely as he opened his blue plaid shirt wider, Tony cringed since his husband is offering to join him in the tub, nothing good could come out of this.

                “No, no! I think I had enough, I’ve stayed in a bit too long.” Tony answered with a bit of panic as he hastily got out of the massive bathtub and grabbed the olive green towel that was sprawled near the rim. He quickly wrapped it around his body to cover from his chest to his knees, he pattered down the small steps to be in front of the sink.

                “Hmm, you’re right, I wouldn’t want you to become unconscious and have you drowned.” Steve said as he moved himself to be directly behind Tony who was drying his face and his slightly wet hair with a different cloth, he then threw it aside.

                “I knew you would understand.”

                “I must know, have you forgiven me yet?”

                “Forgiven…? Oh right, our little spat yesterday night. When you called me a whore...”

                “I suffer when you are angry with me.”

                “Well, you deserved it. You don’t know how to treat a man—uh I mean a woman, do you?”

                “My passion has influenced me to be so vulgar, but is it a sin to love you stronger than death itself?” Steve explained as he approached close enough to press his entire body on Tony’s backside as he perched his big palms upon Tony’s statuesque waist. The both of them stared at one another intensely by looking at their reflections upon the shimmering mirror.

                “When you put it that way…”

                “Please my darling, I beseech you, have mercy on this poor soul.”

                “…all right…you have been pardoned, my husband.” Tony finally choked up as he thought that maybe this could motivate Steve to be less aggressive if he showed an ounce of kindness to him.

                “I feel so liberated; your words have unshackled me from my wretched chains. I yearn to truly demonstrate my love for you, my dearest wife.” Steve said with a lusty grumble in his throat as he lifted the towel’s hem to sneak his right hand inside. Tony made a cut breath out of astonishment as Steve began caressing the shoal of the thick skin of his upper thigh and he shoved his muscular body to make Tony jolt forward.

                “Now what are you doing?”

                “I need you to satisfy this hunger that continues to persist, let me inside…”

                “Sex? Right now?!”

                “Let’s not delay any longer, let us fulfill our carnal desire and produce our offspring.”

                “Oh my god—!” Tony yelped as he felt Steve slip both hands to grip the fold of the bath towel to force Tony to become naked, as Tony grappled his wrists with fear imploding in an increasing rate. _I should have known better! I should not have forgiven him, now he thinks he can go ahead and take me. I can’t take it back, right when I just pardoned him. I don’t want to have his babies; I don’t want to do it with him!_ Tony’s thoughts scrambled wildly as he felt Steve suddenly grasped Tony by his snow white neck with his dull fingernails digging into his tendons.

                “I am just as excited as you are. I can hardly control myself.” Steve mentioned with a mischievous smirk as he forcibly bent Tony’s body halfway forward, for his upper torso and the side of his face to compress against the limestone counter. Steve hoisted the towel upward to make it bundle around Tony’s midriff to unveil his porcine vanilla buttocks. Tony made a squeak of distress when he felt Steve’s solid palm whack his portly cheeks, making the round flesh wiggle, it was harsh enough to make a red mark bloom on his epidermis.

                “I don’t think I’m ready for this!” Tony shouted out as he clawed the countertop with fraught, as he screwed his eyes shut, in his mind he was begging pitifully and was hoping that all of this was just a bad dream.

                “Oh you will be, darling…you’re just so tight.” Steve responded as he failed to detect the unwillingness from Tony’s part, he jabbed about two fingers into Tony’s crack. Tony jerked as he made a deafening scream as he could feel the thick phalanges explore and stab around; Steve felt the petite hole he was searching for. Steve took out his fingers making a squelching noise as he studied the pale white threads of lubricant web around his skin; he slurped off the bodily fluid to taste the appealing musky tang.

                “Still intact, how wonderful. A pure vessel to insert my seed. Be ready.”

                “I—“Tony was speechless as he felt a vomiting sensation, he only knew that he has to trick Steve again, but he can’t use anger this time. It was a stretch, but he had to give it a shot, by faking some sort of sickness. So, Tony immediately allowed himself to collapse on the sparkling tile floor with his hand on his head as if he suddenly got a migraine.

                “Tony! Are you all right?!” Steve asked with apprehension as he instantly picked him up and carried him in the cradle of his arms.

                “I feel so faint…” Tony replied with a fraud frail voice as he nailed his performance by resting his head on the bulk of Steve’s brawny chest and gripping the lapel of his plaid shirt. Steve was overwhelmed with sympathy and melancholy as he looked at his wife lower his spell bounding coco brown eyes for the dark wings of his lashes to flutter feebly. They exited out the bathroom and Steve gently laid Tony on the downy sheets of their bed, Steve sat on the edge with his troubled expression still visible.

                “You must have stayed in that hot bath for too long, it must have made you dizzy.” Steve said with a grave tenor as he scratched the burnish thistles of Tony’s stylish beard. Tony was secretly content that he did not have to provide an explanation, and Steve is so gullible enough to be misled.

                “How stupid of me…”

                “Don’t blame yourself.”

                “But, I’m so sorry. For making you worry.” Tony responded with a weak smile on his rubicund red lips as he took Steve’s hand and guided it to feel the warm curve of his cheek.

                “Ah my dear Tony, you are an angel. And I wish for nothing else but for your health to be restored.”

                “Thank you, my husband. Let me have my sleep so I can make your wish come true.”

                “It is for the best, let us retire early tonight.” Steve agreed as he took his place to rest next to Tony who as usual slept sideways to not look at Steve. Tony pulled up the top of his towel more upward as he was so grateful to elude such a nasty scene, he felt Steve rub his round bare shoulder to provide some comfort. The wide awake brunette felt like it was going to be another sleepless night for him, as he was feeling more and more convinced that he should leave to retrieve his camcorder and try to find a way to contact Miles Upshur, he felt this investigative journalist may be the only man who will be able to comprehend Tony’s disturbing circumstance. _This story…my story…Miles won’t be able to resist it, I’m sure he is the type to want to see it with his own eyes…how am I going to reach him? There just has to be a way…I don’t want to wake up every day with this devil, let me out of this hell and let me return back to earth!_ Tony was sure that death was better than this as the wedding ring on his index finger continued to torment him with their dazzling illuminations, reminding him that his own light has been snuffed out.           


	3. Salvation from the Unholy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony goes back into the asylum to locate his camcorder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I noticed if you read the scary/violent/chase parts of the story while listening to the Outlast DLC soundtrack, it seems more frightening.

     It has been four agonizing days after the unhallowed matrimony between the software engineer Tony Stark and the psychotic murderer Steve Rogers. It feels like a decade has passed since in every ticking second, Tony has been recoiling from the natural malicious temperance from his own husband, he seemed untamable with a divided personality. There were instances of him acting like the element of water, he would have gentle hands and whisper sweet notes of love, a low pleasing voice that flowed melodiously, doting Tony with romantic poetry that he has composed himself. Of course there is the other half of his mask, he would transform into the cruel disposition of lightning, and his words would convert from adulation to vulgar insults. His wrath was sparked promptly and he is possessed by his ruthless impulses, there were drastic moments when his own powerful big hands would seize Tony’s fragile neck and would try to crush his wind pipe out of vehemence if Tony was not obeying him. It would always conclude with Steve almost expelling all the oxygen out of Tony’s lungs, but he would stop himself and would mourn how he has acted like a savage towards his wife, letting himself sink in self-loathing and with a heavy guilt. Tony would usually find deep prints from Steve’s long fingers, seeing those dark purple splotches mar his skin and show the obvious contrast of the blackened marks on the milky flesh. However, the worse part was how Steve would make countless sexual advancements, he becomes feverish enough to even rip open the dresses that seem raunchy, off of Tony. There were other instances that involved him biting Tony’s rosy nipples punitively enough for the sensitive teats to become swollen from the ache. Or even crouching to be under the skirt of his wife, in between his fit legs and nip the skin of his upper thighs and leave so much saliva from his insatiable licks to make the brunette damp from the excessive spit from Steve’s voracious tongue. Tony always manages to stop it every time with one excuse after another, so far he is succeeding from preventing the two of them from having sex, but it is becoming more difficult as time progresses when Steve is becoming more stimulated and inclined to make love to Tony. Currently in this moment, there was a strange tranquility, Tony was standing near the hearth to watch the active flames dance, it was around eleven-sixteen in the evening and he was actually alone in the house. Steve left mysteriously about five hours ago and ordered Tony to stay in the security of their home; he seemed distracted today as if he had some secret task he had to accomplish. Once again Tony was left with his daily decision to choose what frock to wear, he donned on a navy blue simple dress with a V-neck style, with short sleeves that covered his shoulders, and the hem of the light skirt touched his knees. Tony also had on some black silk stockings that tightened around his supple legs. He was amazed how Steve was not here for once, as he walked over to the edge of their bed, he pulled out from underneath a pair of ankle laced up boots of a burgundy red and put them on. Tony has resolved to take this opportunity to return to the cursed asylum to find his camcorder, since Steve isn’t here to control his will. It’s not a lie that he is afraid to go back out there, but if he is ever going to get Miles Upshur to come to Mount Massive Asylum, he has to bring out the courage to do this. Tony inhaled a deep breath and turned the handle of the door; he exited out and closed it softly behind him. He traveled down the dim lighted corridor with its stained walls; he went from one extremity to the next by stepping away from an area of extravagance to an unsanitary and ghastly place, he was use to the beauty and tidiness of the haven that Steve created for him. As Tony cautiously head down the cold space, feeling a menacing draft and a few noises of unnerving creaks and whispers, he remembered that the last time he saw his video camera recorder was in Steve’s workshop where he was close to castrating his private parts. Tony was a bit grateful that he won’t have to go too far, as he was drawing nearer to his destination, he suddenly grabbed the center of his chest with dread, his poor heart began quaking with irregular beats. He heard the booming noise of a screaming male and the whirl of a buzz-saw cycling; Tony tip toed to peek behind the door frame, and was appalled of the grisly sight. There he saw his husband Steve only wearing a pair of black pants; he faced a naked Variant who is tied on the wooden torture board who was kicking around hysterically.

                “Scumbags, all of you.” Steve spat out with a demonic tenor in his thunderous voice as he turned off the spinning razor wheel that was inches away from the Variant’s crotch. He decided to pick up his large machete and point its spiny tip on the middle of his victim’s upper torso.

                “No don’t do this—aghhh!” The Variant shrieked out as it was too late because Steve jabbed the blade firmly in and then ran it down to slice the ashy body in half and including the exposed cock.

                “All you bastards are just trying to steal my wife away! None of you shall have her, she is mine forever!” Steve bellowed out in a fit of rage and paranoia, as he was trying to eliminate all the Variants since he is convinced that they are trying to rob Tony away from him. He started stabbing the corpse multiple times with no sign of exhaustion, fountains of ruby red blood sprouted from the abused dead body and splashed upon Steve like a rain storm. Steve shoved the carcass aside to let it tumble unto the sticky floor where there was a hill of slaughtered Variants as a few flies zipped around them from the repellent stench, he somehow managed to trap so many and murdered them within these hours. _This is where he disappeared to, just to hunt down these men and kill them, he doesn’t want anyone else to have me_ …Tony thought as he witnessed Steve in his killing spree, Steve went over to an enormous sealed container that was shaking furiously and odd muffled sounds came from it. He flipped the lid of it and then took out another panic-stricken Variant, and threw the deformed man down on the timber platform, who was rambling and pleading for mercy.

                “Just shut up, ugly beasts like you need to be put out of existence. I will purge this entire place to make it safe for my dearest Tony.” Steve barked out as he took two small daggers from a tray and pierced through the Variant’s feet for them to be drilled on top of the board to pin him there, the Variant made a high pitch shrill as the fresh blood bubbled rapidly. Tony felt himself withdraw as the heel of his right boot stepped back to accidently break a cracked test tube; he stiffened when the sharp noise of the scrunched glass resounded. Steve immediately looked back and saw Tony trying to slink behind the oak post again.

                “What are you doing here?!” Steve demanded with his fangs bearing like a wolf, as his right hand clutched the handle of his machete with intensity. Tony hesitantly approached to stand next to Steve as he felt a shiver corrode down his spine.

                “I just wanted to know where you were at, I…uh—missed you.” Tony stammered as he observed how Steve’s face and entire sturdy naked torso were oozing of the obscure red blood of his captives, his frost blue eyes seemed to glow in a devilish light underneath the mess of the crimson liquid.

                “Ah my darling, it pains me as well to be separated from you momentarily, but it is necessary for your safety.” Steve’s intimidating countenance slightly softened, as the frenzy Variant seized Tony by his forearm and desperately tugging him, making him surprised.

                “Don’t let him kill me!” The Variant was attempting to receive pity from Tony so he can try to reason with his husband, but Steve reacted hastily that he raised his knife and chopped off the Variant’s hand. The Variant’s limb was detached from his arm for a river of blood to spurt out from the severed hole, and it still clung on to Tony’s appendage, he unshackled an earsplitting bawl, and the gruesome disconnected hand twitched and fell from Tony’s forearm.

                “You dare lay your filthy hand on my wife, I’m going to send you to hell, you son of a—!” Steve rebuked as he seemed more infuriated, the dribbling strings of amylase lashed and snapped in between the molars of his bleach white teeth.

                “It’s okay, nothing bad happened.” Tony interrupted right when Steve was about to curse, as he was trying to calm down the situation.

                “I want you to return to our home, and wait for me there.” Steve ordered sternly as he watched Tony nod his head.

                “Will do.” Tony lied as he was not going to obey the command; he glanced at the medical tray and saw the camcorder is not there.

                “That’s a good girl.” Steve commented with affection as he leaned forward and made a slimy insertion by letting his stained lips cosset Tony’s and poked his eager tongue in to rove around in the unwilling maw. A noisy wet smacking was formed by the gooey contact and it was seen that small torrents of blood poured from Steve’s oral cavity to soak Tony’s. Tony had to breathe in profoundly when Steve finally finished the nauseating kiss as it was seen that his full lips and his facial hair were tinged with the grimy blood that Steve received from slaying the Variants. The sickened brunette was so close to retching when he let his own mouth open and stick his tongue out to see his entire organ leaking with the fresh garnet red fluid that Steve transferred to him, driblets of dark red drizzled the boarded ground. Tony pressed his maw tightly to keep himself from gagging as he quietly waved farewell to Steve who made a sneer, then Steve shifted his mood so fast as he concentrated back on the Variant.

                “Now, where were we? Ah yes, this is where I kill you.” Steve laughed manically as he turned on the buzz-saw to completely cut the Variant into two equal pieces. Tony did not go back to his and Steve’s sanctuary, he instead steered to the right silently and was glad that Steve is too occupied with his abominable business. He went out and heard the grating of the mechanical device screech and it was accompanied with the insufferable squawks from the Variant. Tony was speed walking as he smeared off the detestable blood from his lips and from his Van Dyke beard, he had to change his tactics for now since the camcorder is not at the spot where it was left, it meant he has to inspect through the asylum, he’ll start his search within The Groom’s region.    

 

About two hours have rolled by, and Tony decided to increase the risk by leaving Steve’s caves to rummage through the floor that is above his current location. He climbed a series of toppled desks to jump up to creep into the open air vent; he began crawling within the metallic sealed rectangular shaped passageway. Tony paused to see on his left side that there was a dead security officer; it looked like someone has forcibly shoved him into this vacuum-tight space, he made a grimace and resumed his journey thinking that since he is still in Steve’s district, his own husband must of have been the one who slew the man. He reached the end of the outlet, but he did not scamper down since he was quite revolted of seeing how the expansive room was originally a gymnasium since there was a rickety basketball court, with a few gymnastic stand beams, steel poles, and trash dispersed all over the ground. Tony studied in horror of seeing a huge quantity of nude men with ropes around their gullets and hung high in the ceiling. He shrank back in the canal to see how Steve strolled into the demised gym, pushing a wheel barrel that held all the Variants he massacred, he dumped the carcasses into a heap on the fractured floor. Steve slung a noose on every corpse’s throat and hauled the wires to raise the lifeless bodies to dangle with the rest like a horrendous collection. He seemed insanely jubilant of the display as he clapped the dust off his hands; Tony could not help but shake when Steve began to hum the tune “ _I Want a Girl_ ”, the same old scary song that he sang when he was hunting down Tony a few nights ago. He finally left the fitness center to try to see if he can snag a few more lives from wandering Variants as Tony lowered himself down, he crossed through as he bounced over the steel rods. Tony discovered another ventilation shaft that will lead him out of his husband’s terrain and access the level above it; he immediately grabbed the rim and hoisted himself up, he crawled on all fours for his kneecaps to softly clunk on the metal surface. After a while he realized that he is no longer in The Groom’s sector, he came to an end to the duct and unlatched the fenced vent screen to provide an opening, he sprang out of the hole and landed on his feet for the soles of his boots to make a clumping sound. Tony studied the environment and saw how he is in a destitute laboratory, it was semi-dark as there were spilled chemicals and medical pills scattered along the linoleum and the white countertops, as the cabinets were all ravaged with broken hinges. He stepped into the cold shadows and circled around a marble column and a few shelves that held containers with different human parts stuffed inside of them, especially the heads of deceased men. Tony ventured into a hallway with the lights flickering nervously in a blinding flash as he passed by numerous of doors that were originally the bedrooms of the patients. A few minutes drifted away and Tony saw how the never ending corridor split into two different paths, he could go north or towards the east. He quickly selected to keep heading straight which required him to hop over a withering steel gate, he trotted along, still muddled of the whereabouts of his missing camcorder. Tony soon found himself to enter another hall, but it was diminutive since it had only one entry at its end. He pushed the door away to let some of the dim light to provide him a clearer sight, the whole chamber was surrounded by a dense darkness, but the fluorescent blinking lights from the passageway shined upon a lone workbench. Tony felt so blissful that he saw that perched on the tabletop is his video camera recorder; he swiftly went around the furniture and picked up his device. _Not a scratch on it, the memory is still there and there is some battery power left, I can’t believe I got it back, but how did it get here_ …Tony thought as he saw how his camcorder is undamaged and still fully functional that he unfolded the slot of the LCD monitor and press the power button. Suddenly, Tony felt his body become rigid and the tiny feathery hairs on his neck bristled upward when he heard the stridency and blaring brattling from some sort of manual engine. He spun around and held up his camcorder, and flipped the switch to turn on the night vision and peered into the lens.

                “Mine! You are mine!” It was Frank Manera speeding towards him with his handheld electric saw in his hands; Tony made a frightened gasp as he pounced over the counter and slid off of it right when Frank thrust out the spiraling wheel with jagged teeth, missing Tony and dividing the table in half instead. Tony rushed out with his right hand firmly clutching his precious camcorder as he managed to put a reasonable distance between him and Frank, he leaped over the impeding postern to run in the hall where the myriad of doors are at.

                “Feed me, feed me, feed me!” Frank chanted clamorously with a hoarse voice as the revving of the motored saw was approaching louder, before Frank could look, Tony went inside one of the patients’ uninhabited dwellings. Tony immediately dropped down to conceal himself under the tarnished mattress of a cot, he kept his camcorder close to be able to perceive through the shadows. He felt the saline drops of sweat dribble down his temples when he noticed how Frank charged into the vacant quarters. It was nerve wrecking to watch this cannibal pace around the area with his bare dirty feet passing by the bed every so often; he seemed perturbed and was belligerent by his unappeasable hunger for human flesh. Tony was thankful that Frank finally left; he knew that this man-eater will still be lurking around that corridor; it meant that he would have to make every ounce of energy and second count, one mess up will have him under the incisors of the saw. He jumbled out of the blemished folded bed and burst into a fast sprint to take an imprudent but bold chance, he made a mad dash down the murky passageway to finally barge into the disordered lab.

                “Think you’re so clever.” Frank was able to reach closer to the brunette that he lifted his weapon and slashed Tony on both of the bulks of his curved calves, the long gashes of serrated skin caused Tony to collapse with a sharp squeal. He was knocked to the cold tile with his legs rendered useless, as the camcorder thumped and skated across the linoleum to slightly hit a partition. Tony scampered after it and grabbed a hold of it, unfortunately he found himself seated on the ground with his back against the wall, seeing Frank loomed over him. He clutched his video camera recorder, pressing it on his sternum with tension as he realized that he has been cornered. Tony cowered backwards with his backside feeling the nudge of the plastered façade, with his limbs shuddering like fallen leaves, trapped between a mortared barrier and an avaricious cannibal. _He’s gonna eat me, oh god no! He must have stolen my camcorder to lure me here; he must have got it when Steve was so busy with me in our ‘house’_ …Tony’s thoughts were mushed into pure chaos as he saw Frank positioned the circular rotating blade to tear off the short sleeve of Tony’s dark dress, the shredded fabric limped to expose his left breast and the entire appetizing shoulder. Frank then slammed the rotary steel wheel down on Tony’s naked shoulder, the whirling prongs began to imbed profoundly inside to dissever the thin epidermis and slit the dermis so easily. Tony screamed in a series of disturbing deafening shrills as the gyrating metal bore deeper to create a substantial incision that went from the top of the shoulder to the skin above his nipple. The tissue of the flesh was split asunder making it appear like a wine red fissure with floods of hot blood splurging out like a leak from a broken pipe. Tony felt his ears being pounded by the constant sound of his echoing shrieks and by the droning of the electric hand saw which was reaching to try to fracture and shatter part of his collar bone. Suddenly, Tony felt the weapon lift from his wounded body when Frank yanked it back with a boisterous bellow; Tony noticed that a butcher knife was speared into his right side in between his ribs.

                “Going after a defenseless woman, you are such a weakling, Manera.” It was Steve Rogers emerging from the cool blackness of the shadows as he glared at the cannibal with the blood of the Variants swimming down the arches of his face.

                “The meat is mine! It’s mine, Rogers!” Frank hollered out with raspy vocals as he did not bother to take out the stiletto from his flank, he lashed out his twirling saw that hummed angrily at Steve who countered the attack by grabbing a hold of the handle of the electric buzz-saw. The two psychos were pushing against one another like rams in combat as Tony dropped his camcorder on his lap and started squeezing his gory laceration with a heaving breath. Steve has a clear advantage over Frank because of his inhuman strength, he bash the heel of his bare foot on Frank’s left patella to instantly make his entire ligament twist as the crunching noise of a shattered bone was detected. Steve also made a head-butt on Frank’s forehead to create a pool of tomato blood to spill from the injury. It forced Frank to loosen his grip on his weapon as he collapsed on his other kneecap on the slippery floor; Steve snatched the power-driven saw and made a quick swing using his right hand. The revolving blade hewed into the rough skin of Frank’s gullet, and it decapitated him, making the severed bloody head fly and tumble unto the ground while the beheaded body collapsed lifelessly along with it. Tony examined with a heavy dose of fear of Steve tossing the buzz-saw aside with a hostile huff, he dived his hand to fully penetrate the scarred epidermis of Frank’s upper torso, hearing the abhorrent squishy sound of his fingers digging around in its interior. Steve wrenched his limb out to take out Frank Manera’s heart, the thick arteries snapped and he held the repugnant organ in his palm letting the veins squirt out a handful of muddy blood.

                “I told you I would kill him if he tried to eat you.” Steve said as he settled his fiery gaze upon his shivering spouse who watched him make a rapid compression to make the heart crumple by the pressure and it exploded in his firm curled hand. The outer layer tissue of the tattered organ dropped down as his entire fist was drenched by the dead cannibal’s foul blood; some of it soared to spray upon the clefts of his six-pack belly. Tony was too petrified to utter any articulate words, but he did grunt of the excruciating pain that burned his shoulder, Steve immediately ran over to him, he wrapped his arms under Tony’s knees and back to carry him. The feeble brunette grasped his camcorder in his hand, still feeling his whole body tingle with fright as Steve began walking for them to return to their home, leaving behind the remnants of Frank Manera and his infamous electric saw, the meat-eater was no more…

 

 

The couple was back inside their sanctuary, with Steve Rogers gently placing his wounded wife on the mattress of their master bed. Steve opened the closet to take out a first-aid box in which he placed next to Tony who sat motionlessly with his hand still clutching his camcorder, with his brilliant hybrid colored eyes looking bleak. Suddenly, Steve alarmingly seized the video camera recorder out of Tony’s grip, and walked off with it to head to the Victorian parlor chamber as Tony gave out a cry of grief and terror.

                “No, where are you going with my—!” Tony immediately reacted with distress as he saw Steve tugged the cubby of the hickory wooden drawer and placed the camcorder inside of it, closing it and coming back to sit on the edge of the bed.

                “Hush my darling, I only put it away for safe keeping.”

                “Oh…” Tony simply muttered with astonishment as he studied how Steve unlatched the medical kit, he took a hold a tube of ointment and smeared the stinging balm on the large cuts that are on Tony’s ample cambers.

                “I am cross with you, you have disobeyed me.” Steve rebuked with a tight voice as he coiled tan clinical strips to clot the bleeding on the back of the legs, Tony pressed his full apple lips together, aware that he is going to reap the consequences.

                “I just wanted my camcorder back—“

                “That is not a valid excuse; I swear, sometimes I think that you do these things on purpose just to make me angry!” Steve hollered fiercely as he leaned forward and grabbed the rich strands of dark brown hair from the back of Tony’s skull, giving a harsh jerk making Tony screw his wet eyes shut.

                “I’ve been through enough already!” Tony sobbed out as it was a traumatic experience that he was almost eaten by Frank Manera, and Steve was only abusing him more for a stupid reason like defying his orders. Tony was expecting Steve to start beating him to correct the ‘error’ of his actions; he was going to brace himself with his body becoming rigid, but he instead felt Steve embrace him.

                “You’re right, it’s just I thought I was going to lose you…” Steve confessed in a sweet whisper as he buried half of his handsome but blood-stained mien on top of Tony’s head to ruffle and dye the chocolate tresses by the red fluid. It was actually tender instead of perverse, Tony was shocked as he rested his quivering chin on Steve’s broad shoulder, and he realized that Steve was worried about him.

                “Why didn’t you say that in the first place…?” Tony questioned softly as he hesitantly touched Steve’s shoulder blade, he still could not fathom of the idea of Steve rescuing him and saving his life.

                “I just never want to think about how you might have died under Manera’s saw. I have no one else, I only have you, and that was almost all taken away from me in a matter of seconds…” Steve answered as he reluctantly drew back to caress Tony’s left frigid cheek and let the satin bristles of the facial hair along the structured jawline brush against his skin.

                “You really do care about me, don’t you?”

                “Of course I do, more than you can possibly imagine.” Steve responded with a mild tone as he then rubbed bitter medicine on the gruesome laceration on Tony’s shoulder, and soon treated it by looping clean white long bandages on it.

                “Then…I don’t know how to thank you for saving me…” Tony said quietly as he wondered where this loving Steve has been this whole time.

                “Just concentrate on recovering from your wounds,”

                “Yeah, I’ll do that.”

                “And once you’re healed, we are going to go ahead and finally make some babies.” Steve replied with that familiar toothy smirk as Tony felt that the warm moment was ruined, especially when he planted his large palm in between Tony’s erogenous breasts. Then Steve removed his limb and it was seen that a red outline of his hand was printed on Tony’s sternum since he still had fresh blood on him. As Steve was storing away the first-aid container, Tony disdainfully looked at the scarlet blotch. _He had to turn back into a pervert, ugh, and he still wants sex from me_ …Tony thought as he saw how Steve made a smile at him and then disappeared into the bathroom to clean himself, since he kindly remembered that Tony hates him covered in blood. The brunette made a huge sigh; he was glad that he was able to regain his camcorder, now the next step would be trying to devise a method to communicate with Miles Upshur. Tony then was pensive on a different topic, he could not believe that Steve quickly protected him from Frank Manera as if he did not care that he was putting his own life on the line, and especially their recent conversation, minus the part where Steve was slightly hurting him and made that comment about pro-creating. He was becoming curious of Steve’s story or his background; he felt he saw a glimpse of the man he used to be in the past before he became insane. _He can’t be all that bad if he jumped in to rescue me, I still don’t love him, but I don’t think I hate him anymore_ …This revelation dawned on Tony as he lightly touched his cheek where Steve was stroking him earlier, thinking that it was nice that for once it was a fond gesture instead of the fury of piercing knuckles. Tony examined his wedding ring like he does every night before going to bed, he would always loathe it, but his perception of it seems to have changed a bit. As the diamond shimmered brightly and reflected from his glistening hazel eyes, the marriage band does not seem that ugly to him anymore, it was slowly becoming something strangely beautiful…          


	4. A Broken Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite Steve's hostility and constant want for Tony's body, underneath it all, he is a shattered man.

        It has been approximately three weeks after the untimely death of the gluttonous cannibal Frank Manera, but it does not mean that the institution is liberated from peril. For Mount Massive Asylum was still crawling with its most prominent fiends like ex-military officer Chris Walker and the invincible apparition the Walrider. Tony Stark or known as Mrs. Rogers was able to heal from his fatal cuts; it was ten fifty-nine in the late evening and he was exploring around the fancy household with a sulk. Earlier in the day, Steve made a distasteful observation that further degraded Tony’s real gender, not only does Tony have to wear the exterior clothing of a lovely female, he now must also put on the under garments as well since Steve still has the notion of Tony being a different but gorgeous woman, so Tony must look ‘proper’. With full embarrassment, he fitted into a bright pink high-waist skirt that touched his buttermilk thighs, and a mango yellow cropped cardigan that has its top clear button unhooked, his cute navel and his sturdy abdomen were exposed. It was the first time he as ever wore a bra and lingerie underwear, he was seething in a silent rage of Steve continuing to mortify him. Currently, Steve was in the kitchen to repair the oven that Tony broke when he accidently left a piece of silverware inside of a cake he was baking. Tony did not have many options so he decided to roam through the various chambers, but he was intrigued of Steve’s office where there were certain instances that Steve would lock himself inside. He discreetly entered the mysterious room, it was a spacious area with mahogany tall shelves of thick volumes of textbooks, there was a carved canted executive desk with its glossy countertop filled with numerous of paperwork, a few unlit candlesticks, and a lone photograph frame. There was an antique armchair with a 1794 Hepplewhite Shield design with an enormous crystal lofty window decorated with dark blue satin curtains; in the corner was an ebony engraved grandfather clock with its swinging golden pendulum. On the left side was a big famous painting of the _Abduction of Helen of Troy_. In Greek mythology, Helen was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world; she was kidnapped by a lustful man named Paris, the prince of Troy. It was seen that the poor female was being forcibly taken by Paris and desperately reaching out her hand, pleading help from her fellow countrymen. Right below the depressing artwork was a limestone framed hearth that was cold with splintered wood and gray ash. Tony walked across the oriental illustrative rug that is a mix of gold and beige and he circled around the desk, he picked the brass casing of the picture and studied it with bewilderment. He felt himself blush into a faint ruddy dye when he saw it was a photo of him looking out the window in the Victorian parlor with a mesmerizing but serious expression, with his fingers gripping the gauzy silk material of the drapes. _When did he take this…? His obsession with me is worse than I thought_ …Tony pondered as he placed it back on its original spot and started thumbing through the written sheets, he found nothing that interested him, so he moved on to open one of the cubbies of the desk and rummage through it, he was determined to find out about Steve’s cryptic past. He discovered a suspicious blue folder with the word: “ _Confidential_ ” stamped on its front, he took it out from the drawer’s bottom where it was hiding. Tony decided to leave the private office with the secret file; he headed back to fling the furtive notes on top of the bed, he was starting to feel a bit hot that he unbuttoned the small sunny yellow sweater and dropped it on the carpet. He unveiled of the fact that he is wearing a leopard print push-up bra with black straps; he lied flat on his warm belly with the documents in front of his crossed arms as he began to read a report written from one of the accomplished physicians of the Von Doom Corporation:

 

Case Number: 196

Patient: Steven Grant Rogers

Consultation Dated: 2015.06.09

Initial Date of Patient Consult: 2015.02.14

Patient’s Age: 97

Gender: Male

Observing Physician: Dr. Garett Snow

Therapy Status:

Lucid dreaming figures remain as murky as ever; Rogers claims near constant control of his dream state, yet correspondence between his narrative and REM cycles. Highly arrhythmic REM/NREM. Morphogenic Engine activity plateaus at 90 PPM.

Diagnostics:

Heavy bronchial accumulation. The rashes associated with hormone therapy have receded and vanished since we stopped using latex tubing.

Interview Notes:

Rogers remains a frustrating interview subject; he’s still trying to tell us what he thinks we want to hear, while studiously avoiding certain elements of the truth. He insists that he is born in the 1960’s, but that is proven to be false. When I confronted him with the photographs of a young woman, he responded with a mixture of laughter and anger, and restraints were issued.

He similarly refuses to discuss his victims, both categorically and specifically. When I show him pictures of the men and women, he would not admit that they were dead or mutilated.

He is claiming advancement in the Morphogenic Engine program that has not yet achieved, said that he could clearly hear the voice of the Walrider just by closing his eyes. Clearly he’s still trying to curry the favor of his doctors. I won’t speculate at what he expects to gain by it.

End of Report

 

Tony tried to search further in the pockets of the folder, he found a disconcerting photograph of Steve without a stich of clothing on him, and he was curled up within a transparent sphere with rubber tubes shoved down in his mouth and in the narrow passage of his esophagus. He realized that Steve was also like the other Variants, he was experimented on and even tortured, and he was actually the sole person that is supposed to be the Walrider’s first host. Steve is considered a Variant, but it is bizarre that he retained his handsome physical features instead of becoming deformed like the rest of the patients. It also peaked Tony’s curiosity of how the manuscript mentioned how the doctor interrogating Steve was asking about a specific woman that seems to cause Steve to become physically violent enough for him to be held back by security officers, and he possibly was put in a strait jacket or bonded by shackles. Not to mention that the script revealed that Steve is ninety-seven years old, it seemed unbelievable since he at least looks about thirty, so it meant that he is sixty-nine years older than Tony. There were countless questions to formulate, Tony sighed a gusty breath as he leafed through the contents to see if there is more information regarding on his husband who is practically a senior citizen. Soon, Steve Rogers nonchalantly strolled into the region, wiping the soot and grime off of his hands with a dishrag as he delightfully witnessed the natural beauty of his wife. Steve silently watched how Tony was stretched out with his thick vanilla legs swinging behind him, displaying himself in such an erotic fashion with his index finger teasingly flicking his own slick bottom red lip. The eager blond tossed the greasy cloth away; he unclipped his red-white checkered shirt and let it slip from his body to show his white tank top. Steve went on top of Tony and allowed his conniving hands snake underneath and squeezed Tony’s voluptuous breasts, Tony instantly clamped his palms on Steve’s tough knuckles with tension.

                “Now what are you doing?” Tony inquired with an annoyed huff as the muscle weight from his husband was squashing his entire backside.

                “You look very attractive this evening.” Steve complimented with a sexual cord strumming in his saccharine vocals as he playfully clenched the right dark strap of Tony’s bra with his pearly white teeth and released it to see and hear it snap against Tony’s shoulder blade. Tony made an uncomfortable squeak as he noticed that Steve seems to enjoy him wearing this particular type of garment.

                “So.” Tony simply responded with a bit of sass as he started to claw at the bed sheets when he could feel the shrewd bulge of Steve’s harden cock rub on the crack line of Tony’s lascivious buttocks that are veiled by the small lively pink skirt.

                “It has almost been a month since our wedding, and we still haven’t done it. My craving is becoming unbearable.”

                “Oh, well sorry; my loins are not on fire.” Tony replied with a bit of sarcasm as he was aware that Steve was getting horny again.

                “Stop with your teasing woman.” Steve said with a lecherous smirk as he started to grind sensually against Tony’s rear, he also took a hold of the front clip of Tony’s animal dotted bra and threaten to unhook it.

                “Eww, would you stop humping me! I’m trying to read!” Tony yelled out in disgust as he slapped Steve’s arm multiple times to tell him to get off, Steve momentarily paused the pelvis movement and his long fingers were still on the clasp of Tony’s exotic push-up bra.

                “What are you reading?”

                “Words that are in the English language.”            

                “Don’t be a smart-aleck.” Steve mentioned as he removed himself to snatch the blue folder, Tony slowly sat up as he became worried when he saw how darkness quickly cast over Steve’s face.

                “Whatever you do, don’t get mad—“

                “How could I not?! You took this from my office; no one is supposed to see this!” Steve hollered with hostility as he threw the _Confidential_ documents at Tony who managed to catch it, as some sheets of papers dispersed and sailed down onto the carpet.

                “I didn’t know it was a crime for a wife to want to know more about his—I mean her husband.” Tony was trying to provide some rationality and to decrease the belligerence that Steve was emitting; he got up from the bed and started bending down to salvage the pages of the manuscript.

                “That report is wrong, I am not sick!” Steve was being defensive as he smacked his palm brutally against one of the posts of the bed frame.

                “I’m sure you’re right, it’s just I didn’t know how else to learn more about you.” Tony was indulging Steve by pretending to agree and he knew he could elude any punishments if he acted slightly like an airhead by having an innocent desire to become closer to Steve. Tony seated himself on the mattress in front of his husband who seemed a little more tranquil than before; Tony tossed the medical report for it to land in between them.

                “It may be partially my fault for not telling you much about me; we are married now so I should not have to hide my past any longer.” Steve said with a weighty sigh as he extended his arm forward and took Tony’s right hand, to gently encase it in the shelter of his large palms.

                “Well, let’s start when and where you were born.”

                “My parents Joseph and Sarah Rogers had me in the year 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. When I turned fifteen, it was noted that I was diagnosed with illnesses such as scarlet fever, asthma, a heart condition, and much more that I won’t bother to list.”

                “You didn’t get any treatment for your sicknesses?” Tony questioned as he was flabbergasted that Steve’s hometown is only about forty-seven miles away from his own, which is Long Island.

                “I soon encountered the Von Doom Corporation in 1933; they were advertising how they invented a ‘tonic’ that can cure any physical symptoms and even enhance the body of a malnourished person.”

                “Right, the company first opened in the 1930’s; they use to be so good at that time, they focused on finding cures.”

                “Yes, and I volunteered for it. It worked since my health was restored and thus I was given the body I have today. Soon I captured the attention of a certain dame, she and I began dating for a few years, and we loved one another that we planned to get married.”

                “Why didn’t you guys get hitched?”

                “Well, World War II soon broke out so we had to postpone the wedding. I decided to fight with a childhood friend of mine. He and I fought in the European frontier, trying to push back the Nazis, but that moment warned me that soon my life will come apart.”

                “Oh god, did something happen to your friend?”

                “We were lead to a land mine; the both of us were stuck with a bomb underneath our feet. He made the choice to sacrifice himself to save my life; I was forced to watch the flames consume him whole.”

                “The poor guy…”

                “It was a great loss and while everyone celebrated V-Day in 1945, I was mourning and my parents understood my pain.”

                “What about your girl?”

                “Oh, well after years of lamenting the death of my best friend, she and I were going to get married in 1951. On our wedding day, I regarded it as the happiest day of my life, because my dear parents were there, including my Uncle Peter Rogers who I care deeply for. My lifelong dream was going to come true, for I always wanted to have a family of my own.”

                “It seems so perfect, what could have possibly ruined it? Did you get cold feet?”

                “No, just a few minutes before the ceremony commenced, I caught my bride cheating on me with another man.”

                “What a slut.”

                “Indeed…she left me on the altar to run away with him. My parents and uncle saw that I fell into a deep depression after the fiasco, they were concerned when they saw how I destroyed everything that reminded me of her.”

                “Did you ever see her again?”

                “Yes I did, in one evening in 1957, when I was thirty-nine years old. I took a knife from my mother’s kitchen, tracked her down and killed her and her lover when they were in bed together. I also set their entire house on fire before leaving so those two and everything they owned would be burned in hellish flames.”

                “Dr. Garrett Snow asked you a lot about your first bride, didn’t he?”

                “He was trying to get me to confess that I killed her and a number of other people. It is true, I did take away many lives, but I have no regrets, my hatred of people from both genders runs deep.”

                “So how did you get in here, in Mount Massive Asylum?”

                “After my infamous murders, the relatives of my victims wanted revenge. So, they targeted my parents and uncle, and killed them. Everything I ever loved and cherished was stolen from me, I despised everyone and then I went ahead and slew my family’s murderers. The police were notified of my crimes and were sent to arrest me.”

                “The Von Doom Corporation must have intervened, especially since you were their first tester.”

                “Correct, they took me from the police and declared me as an insane man who just needs treatment. Apparently, they validated the case by the trauma of losing my family and possibly having PTSD from the Second World War.”

                “Oh I see.”

                “They received me here, in Mount Massive Asylum where they did a series of interviews and tests on me. Soon, they performed some mental and physical torture on me by keeping the memories alive of the deaths of my best friend, my family, and of course my bride leaving me.”      

                “Did any of the doctors mention about ‘Project Walrider’?”

                “They did, at that time they were still creating the invincible entity, and they saw me as the potential host of it. While the scheme went underway, they kept me in an ice capsule to preserve my body and my youth. I was frozen for about fifty-six years; I awoke in the year 2013, they conducted more interviews with me.”

                “I’m guessing they exposed you to the Morphogenic Engine so you can try to control the Walrider.”

                “I was only able to experience it for a short time, the original plan was for me to become the Walrider’s host, but a young lad ended up being its vessel instead.”

                “You must be talking about Billy Hope, but if they did not need you any longer then—“

                “I was just a repulsive lost case to them, so they left me to rot in the Vocation Block of this place, still devastated that I had no family and my fantasies of being a happily married man were fading into oblivion.”

                “This whole time, you were here…”

                “Yes, but I soon had an inspiration. I began making a suitable home and vowed to claim myself a bride, to fulfill my life’s wish. Two years passed by, and in one fateful night, you came to me.”

                “Right…sure…”

                “I felt blessed by the heavens when I first saw you through the glass windows of the doors. Here I am, married to a perfect beauty.”

                “I’m sure that was hard for you to share all that, but thanks for telling me about it.” Tony commented as he purposely propped up against the pillows to get ready for bed.

                “At least in the end I was able to get what I desired.” Steve mentioned as he pushed his body to nudge at Tony and his face was directly above his wife’s in a close range.

                “Uh-huh… well I’m tired, so I’m gonna sleep now.” Tony replied as he was relieved that he can skip sex for another evening, he patted Steve on his neck and let himself succumb to slumber.

                “I wish we could have met earlier…” Steve made a hush whisper as he saw how the left strap of Tony’s bra falls loosely on the side of his juicy shoulder; he took a hold of it and fixed it back into place. Steve decided to retire for the night by leaving a small kiss on the crest of Tony’s forehead, content to have such an amazing wife, which sometimes makes him wonder how he was able to keep and have this extraordinary gift. The blond silently watched with gratification of the rise and fall of Tony’s chest and the inaudible little breaths from Tony’s parted cerise red full lips. _This is mine, all mine_ …

 

On the following day, Tony entered another chamber that his own husband designed himself, it seemed artistic, simple, and remarkable. He saw that in the middle of the expansive area was a huge cherry blossom tree that is planted in an opening of the floor to be rooted in natural soil, one of its outstretched branches has a swing that is tied securely by ropes and rawhide strips. For today, Tony had on a summer dress with skinny straps with the top half dyed in orange as the lower part was a dark blue that reached down to cover his knees. He approached it and decided to sit on the flat wooden seat, his hands gripped the strong cords and he let himself rock gently in a low altitude. _I haven’t been on one these since I was a kid; Steve is really creative, I’ll give him that_ …Tony thought as he soon suspended the swaying motion so he can sit quietly on the swing, with eyes closed, and hands still grasping the hooked filaments. He felt overfilled with melancholy since he managed to hear Steve’s last words to him yesterday. _He thinks that if I was born in his time, his life would have turned out different, he would have been happy, and his parents and uncle would still be alive. Steve is all screwed up, but because of war, his family being wiped out and a tramp killing his heart, but the Von Doom Corporation had the nerve to take advantage of his anger and sorrow. They knew that Steve has seen so many terrible things, because if a person has witnessed enough horror, they can become capable to becoming the Walrider’s host. They tormented him daily about his past so his psyche can be open wider; their own greed for power to control the Walrider drove them to completely break Steve…for so long, they hid so many secrets from me…if I knew it would bring so much harm to men like Steve, I would have never accepted the job…oh Miles, I wish you were able to see what I have seen_ …After a few minutes, Steve Rogers entered the spacious room and was a bit alarmed of seeing his own wife looking so despondent with a few light pink petals of flowers sprinkled on his chocolate brown hair. He was dressed in a pair of denim blue jeans and a baby blue cotton shirt with its sleeves rolled up at his elbows and two of the buttons were unhooked to expose a morsel of his brawny chest. Steve crossed over and climbed on the swing that Tony was sitting on, he shifted his big feet on the sides of the seat so that way he can stand directly behind his wife as he grappled the ropes so he would not have to fall backwards.

                “Darling, you look so sad, what is the matter?” Steve questioned as he loomed over Tony who leaned back a bit to rest on Steve’s beefy long legs and he tossed his head back for the cherry blossom buds to flutter down.

                “It’s just… I’ve been thinking about the stuff you told me last night…” Tony admitted as he unhurriedly cracked open his hybrid tinted eyes and stared upward at Steve who peered down at him.

                “Have I caused you such sadness?”

                “I don’t think I have met anyone as tragic as you before. No one deserves to go through such pain.”

                “You have a sensitive heart; you don’t have to shed any bloody tears for me. I’m happy now, I have you.” Steve responded with a pleasant tenor as he slightly bent his body halfway forward so his handsome mien can be above Tony’s pretty visage that the tips of their finely-crafted noses touched.

                “Really?” Tony asked incredulously as he never would have thought that his presence or existence would have a major impact on a single person.

                “Of course, my darling.” Steve replied with a tantalizing ring in his masculine voice as he shifted a little so he can give Tony an upside down kiss, his starving lips barely tapped on Tony’s.

                “Oh! How about I play the piano for you?” Tony blurted out as he sprang from the swing to avert the smooch; he just wanted to distract Steve from making such intimate gestures.

                “How delightful, I will take a listen.” Steve said as he seemed cheerful by the spontaneous idea as he jumped off of the wooden seat. The two traveled back to go inside the Victorian parlor together, both of them sat side-by-side on a flat upholstered bench. Tony first smoothed out the skirt of his vibrant dress and then he interlaced his fingers together, he extended his arms to crack his phalanges. Then he began to hover his hands above the second and third octaves of the keyboard. He clicked the fourteenth and eighteenth white notes once, and then he hit the fourteenth bar again but combined it with the D3 black note instead. Then he repeated the first part and then did the second one again, until it became different when he did the first portion again and hit the twenty-eighth white note at the same time in the fourth octave. Tony began composing a mystifying song of despair mixed with pride, Steve’s favorite fragment so far would be Tony pressing the twenty-eighth white note and quickly follow it with a succession of the G4, A4, FA, and back to A4 black notes. The melody did start out so soothing and dejected, but it shifted to become a powerful composition when he rapidly tolled a series of different of white and black notes simultaneously making as if it seemed his hands were dancing upon a stage.

                “Sorry that your old sweetheart was such a whore, if you don’t mind me saying.” Tony remarked bluntly as he continued to nimbly race his fingers on the musical slabs of the grand piano.

                “It’s okay, I don’t disagree, and I believe my parents weren’t too fond of her as well.”  

                “You’re their son, so of course they are gonna have high standards. Seems like they think no one is good enough for you.”

                “If my mom and dad met you, I just know they would love you.”

                “Are you sure you’re not saying that just because you like me?”

                “You’re quite a dame, Tony. You can play the piano, and my parents do like classical works from lovely instruments.”

                “Hmm, so I get points for having some musical talent, not bad.”

                “You are very gifted.”

                “Here, I’ll teach you a piece of the song.” Tony offered as he mildly grabbed Steve on the top of his left hand, and lifted it upon the lengthy keyboard. He guided him by positioning his medium sized hand on top of Steve’s, as their fingers would press one white note and hit on three black notes together. Steve felt an overflow of affection as he relished in the harmony and the warmth radiating from Tony’s velvet skin, they spend a while skating their hands upon the octaves of the piano and Tony for once felt a sense of unity with Steve and enjoyed their wordless moment to create music as one person. However, Tony was mostly overcome with sympathy as he felt the concept of love and romance was distorted for Steve, all he ever wanted was to have a life partner and to have the bliss of raising sons and daughters of his own.

                “I do wonder at times why someone like you wasn’t already engaged to begin with.” Steve spoke up as he settled his tender gaze upon Tony.

                “Truthfully, I never went on a date. I put my work first before my social life, don’t get me wrong a couple of guys asked me out, but I was always busy.” Tony made a half-lie since he did not want to risk making Steve become aggressive; it was not a few males, but a huge of amount of men would constantly plead to have either coffee or dinner with him.

                “Nothing wrong with a working girl.”

                “You know it.”

                “Lucky for me, I won you in the end, instead of those underserving fools.” Steve mentioned with a pinch of smugness as he and Tony separated their hands so Tony could continue playing the symphonic tune.

                “Yeah…you sure did…” Tony said with skepticism as he thought the statement was silly, he soon noticed how Steve scooted a bit closer to him so their forearms would bump against one another.

                “I have taken such a grand prize; you’re nothing like my ex-fiancée, your unparalleled pulchritude causes her to decay in envy.” Steve made a bold declaration as he leaned in cunningly for his full lips to brush against the rich tresses of Tony’s fleecy short hair while his left large hand clutched the nape of Tony’s hot neck.

                “It’s nice to know I’m more attractive than her, it’s good for my self-esteem.” Tony answered as he starting to get timid when Steve released his hold and he could feel his husband’s sharp breath blow into the cave of his ear.

                “You’re twice the woman she is.” Steve responded as he shifted a bit for his hand to grip Tony’s patella, Tony missed a key on the board, feeling his own dark eyebrows quirk upward. _How is that possible, I mean look at me, I’m a guy, and I have a beard! And he still thinks that I’m way more womanly than his ex?!_

                “Ha, I bet I am.” Tony said with a nervous laugh, and then he stifled the fake chuckling when he saw how Steve started hitching up the skirt of the dress to make his moon-crescent thighs to expose.

                “Every inch of you is flawless.” Steve uttered with the familiar titillating voice that seems to deepen in pitch, he took the vermillion spaghetti string of the frock and the white bra strap, he lowered them to sling crookedly on the side of Tony’s delectable snowy shoulder. Steve began smothering the bare vanilla skin with moist kisses and nipped at the ridge of Tony’s clavicle bone.

                “Okay, okay, I get it!” Tony yelped out as his own hand accidently slammed against the first octave of the grandiose piano to make it seem as if the instrument was groaning in agony. Steve crawl his crafty hand upon the buttery flesh of Tony’s athletic legs, he slithered his fingers further in the fold of Tony’s gown. Tony was apprehensive and he felt it became worse when Steve was starting to serenade him:

_A million times I ask you,_

_And then I ask you over again._

_You only answer_

_Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps._

_If you can't make your mind up,_

_We'll never get started._

It was a song that was originally written in Spanish by a Cuban writer named Osvaldo Farres, but it was translated in English in 1948, it is quite an archaic melody so it is believable that Steve would know the words to it. Tony felt there was a sense of irony to it, since it seems to almost allude to Tony’s refusal to have sex with Steve and rejecting him in countless occasions, but his husband still has this eccentric hope that it will happen.

                “Just give in to the feeling…” Steve muttered in a daze, Tony could already feel the upper portion of his dress limped loosely for the right flank of his chest to be uncovered. It was seen that Tony has on an Artisan white bra that is embroidered with lace, it softly cupped his breast. Steve cosseted the satin fabric with his apple red lips and shoved some of the material away by the clamp of his front teeth, so he can thrust his ravenous mouth to start sucking on the squishy bundle of meat. The inflamed blond also was able to grab a hold of the thin band of Tony’s gauzy panties underneath the frock, he began yanking it down for the skinny thread to slip down Tony’s hip bone.

                “I don’t think my feeling is the same as yours…!” Tony yapped back as he crashed his curled fist consecutively against the keyboard to make the piano spurt out sour rings.

                “Tell me, how would you like it? We can do it anywhere.” Steve said in breathless alluring vocals as he managed to haul down Tony’s gossamer undies to bunch around his ravishing upper thighs.

                “That’s just so—holy crap!” Tony began but he was interrupted when he felt Steve hotly swirl his fervent tongue around his rosy nipple for twines of saliva to drip from the redden tip, Tony could feel his own expression twist into revulsion with the corners of his own mouth and left eye twitching.

                “The more you resist, it just makes me want you so much more.” Steve groaned with arousal as his and Tony’s bodies were pressed tightly together, Tony felt his underwear slide all the way down to tangle around the nodes of his ankles.

                “Was that supposed to turn me on?! It’s not working!” Tony complained as he felt Steve slunk his hand behind his backside and slipped them into the dress to fumble around until he found the bra’s clip. Steve unpinned the fastener as he mouthed the center of Tony’s creamy throat. Tony was trying to figure out a plan to take sex out of the menu, he did not had to formulate anything since an accident occurred. The anxious brunette pushed Steve away from him as he rushed back too far; he literally collapsed out of the piano bench and landed on his back. Steve seemed concerned at first, as Tony rubbed his temples, his knees clunked together with his undergarment still jumbled around the knobs of his ankles.

                “You are quite the klutz, my darling.” Steve commented as he got up from the seat, he noticed that Tony always seems to crash on the ground.

                “Gravity just hates me, that’s all.” Tony answered with wit as he was just glad that it happened, but soon his stomach felt start to lurch when Steve towered over him, seeing he was in between the blond’s long legs.

                “It’s all right, I can work with this.” Steve replied as he unlatched the zinc alloy buckle of his leather belt and unzipped his raven black trousers. Tony made a squeal out of consternation as he swiftly dragged up his own frilly panties, and then scuttled from under Steve; he leaped back on his feet with his exhale sounding a bit winded and jagged.

                “I just can’t do it right now or anytime soon.” Tony responded as he moved his own arms back to re-hook his bra, and then he fix his summer frock to look proper again.

                “My patience is wearing thin, I do not like things set before me that I cannot have.” Steve mentioned in an animalistic rumble in his gullet as he ferociously gripped the sides of Tony’s shoulders, burrowing the dull tips of his nails into the velour epidermis.

                “Umm… I won’t be able to enjoy it, not when I’m stuck in depression.”

                “I was correct; you do have a fragile heart. My struggles from the past have caused you to be so solemn.”

                “Right again, so can we just not do it? Can we just at least be with each other?” Tony said as he does still feel a dose of pity for Steve, he was trying to be a bit lenient by allowing them to stay with one another’s company.

                “I suppose I can settle with that for now.”

The both of them leaned back against the headboard of their bed, snuggling closely with Tony resting his head between the space between Steve’s neck and broad shoulder. Steve wrapped his left appendage around Tony as he perched his chin on top of Tony’s cranium to feel the fluff from his faux Mohawk lick him gently with silky burnish strands. Tony positioned his left hand upon Steve’s sternum to feel his heart vibrate in a rhythmic tempo that was beginning to drum faster, Steve clasped his right large palm on top of Tony’s to lightly squeeze his slender fingers.

                “This is nice, isn’t it…?” Tony murmured softly as he felt an odd peace befall on him.

                “Yes, we should do this more often.” Steve agreed as he also felt serenity and contentment just by being with his wife in this simple moment.

                “Yeah, I’m okay with this.” Tony replied with a small smile as both of their wedding rings sparkled dazzlingly by the sunlight with flashes of gold, ruby, and sapphire. _Weird, I think I’m starting to like Steve…I’m just starting to get to know the man I married….now I see that he really does need me_ …


	5. Is This Love?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony experiences a day with Steve that changes both his thoughts and heart.

      About four months have drifted away and Tony was beginning to adapt to his new lifestyle as being a wife, he was improving in his domestic duties and he was slowly tolerating his husband’s eccentric habits. It was approximately three twenty-nine in the summer afternoon and Tony was alone in the household. He donned on a simple sheath black dress with a pencil designed cotton skirt that touched the knobs of his knees, the satin top has a court neckline and its sleeves paused at his elbows. Tony was occupying himself with chores; he was almost done washing out the bath towels. He was currently in the kitchen and decided to try to create a cake again, he poured the batter into a silver pan and checked multiple times to be certain that he did not drop any eating utensils in it like last time. Tony placed the dish into the preheated oven, and allowed the dessert to start baking. He was close to finishing the homemade frosting; he dumped the mixture of the cocoa and sugar powder into the whipped butter, he then added milk and vanilla extract. Tony began whisking the blended contents in the large bowl as he was joyful that the icing looked fluffy and rich. While he was beating the creamy substance, he was curious of where Steve has vanished to, he was at least aware that his husband is in the asylum and he has been gone for five hours. Tony suspended his productive activity when he heard their door slam shut, he jogged over to enter the Victorian parlor and felt regretful for going inside the chamber. He saw it was Steve Rogers with his clothes and skin coated with a huge quantity of gooey blood, he was dragging a dead Variant by his ankle, Tony slightly recognized this latest victim. The Variant was blindfolded and was restrained in a strait jacket; Tony encountered this male once when he was wandering in the insane institution. He stalked Tony for a while and would always comment how Tony looked so ‘silky’; it was noted that Steve made a big gap on the Variant’s stomach and it was cleaned out to see the guts were missing.

                “Oh god Steve, no!” Tony immediately rebuked as he averted his eyes from the repulsive sight as Steve gripped a mysterious brown sack in his other hand.

                “What is the matter?”

                “You’re not supposed to bring your work to the house. I told you over and over again!”

                “I forgot, but I have this for you.” Steve responded bluntly as he held the tan bag in front of Tony who was not willing to accept it.

                “What is it?”

                “It’s intestines and a tongue. I cut them out of this Variant; he wouldn’t shut up about ‘having a secret he has to tell me’.”

                “Eww, get that away from me! Throw all that crap outside! I don’t want any of it in here!”

                “Are you sure?”

                “Of course I am!” Tony yelled out as he placed his hands on his statuesque waist with a huff, he watched his husband turn around and carelessly hurled the corpse and the bagged body parts out of the door and closed it.

                “You are very high-strung today, my darling.” Steve commented as he was dripping with fresh garnet red liquid.

                “I just cleaned the house up; I don’t want you getting it dirty again.”

                “My, you have been busy.”

                “I want you to get in the shower—“

                “Oh, I like where this is heading.” Steve interrupted with enthusiasm as he had a bloody lewd smirk on his full lips.

                “I’m not gonna be in there with you. I want you to get all that blood off, and if you can, wash your brain out too.” Tony replied with a tight voice as he wagged his index finger in front of Steve’s stained face.

                “All right, as you wish.”

                “I just finished doing some laundry, so I’ll come in the bathroom later to give you a towel.” Tony concluded as Steve nodded and went ahead to proceed into the lavatory to obey his wife. After ten minutes, Tony draped a downy snow towel on the fold of his arm and went inside the restroom. He accidently crashed backwards against the closed door since he was overwhelmed and suddenly timid when he saw his own husband naked, but with the exception of his hand clutching a navy blue dishrag that was censoring his private parts. The crystal droplets of water trickled down the deep clefts of his six-pack abdomen and the slopes of his brawny chest, traces of thin steam rose from his beefy skin as he ran his long fingers through his wet golden locks for the yellow strands to slick back. Steve seemed entertained by Tony’s outrageous reaction that he strode up to the nervous brunette to trap him against the door with his unoccupied palm settling on the frame.

                “Caught in a compromising position, whatever should we do…” Steve said with a magnetic tenor in his vocals as he purposely released the cloth to fall and to be fully in the nude, and he placed both of his hands on the door post.

                “I got a cake in the oven.” Tony blurted out worriedly as his left hand fumbled around to find the door knob, he saw how Steve’s handsome mien was close to his, and he resolved not to look down at his exposed crotch.

                “It can wait, stay for a little bit.” Steve pleaded sensually as he placed his right hand to cup the side of Tony’s left breast, stroking the thin material and warm flesh underneath.

                “I can’t let it get burned—“Tony began but Steve pinched his cheeks with his hand to make Tony’s lovely red lips pursue out.

                “Shh, enough of this idle talk.” Steve responded as Tony felt him draw near, he could feel the heat radiate from his husband’s burly body and the cool breeze of his balmy breath. Tony’s beguiling visage was furiously blushing into a bright pink, he finally found the glittering knob to twist it and he tossed the bath towel over Steve’s head, Tony ran off and the door crashed behind him. He returned to the kitchen in a hurried pace and he immediately seized the edge of the granite countertop since he felt a bit faint. _I never really noticed that Steve has a decent body—okay it’s more than decent, it’s really amazing_ …Tony thought with embarrassment as he was relieved that he did not look at Steve’s lower half, he feels his own husband is trying new techniques to seduce him, but it was not going to influence Tony at all. He shook his head and went over to the oven with his hands slipping into mittens; he took out the completed cake, and transferred it on a china plate. Tony took off his gloves and grabbed a butter knife; he began spreading the chocolate frosting upon the pastry, about two minutes later, when he was decorating the last spongy flank, he noticed Steve stroll in. He had on worn-out jeans and a simple gray cotton shirt with sleeves that reached to his elbows.

                “Tony, does this cake have a fork inside of it like last time?” Steve teased as he bended a little to rest his left arm on the limestone counter.

                “No! I actually made this one right, geez you’re mean.” Tony defended himself quickly as he finally finished the baked cake.

                “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it.”

                “Here, try this, tell me what you think.” Tony said as he took a hold of a spoon that was filled with the cocoa icing he made, he fed it to Steve who swallowed it with a brilliant light in his oceanic eyes.

                “It’s very good, you have improved quite significantly.”

                “I told you I would get better.”

                “However, I think it would be perfect if it was on something else.” Steve replied with a stimulated growl as he displayed his hint by running his fingertip down the smooth hollow pathway that led down to Tony’s curvaceous bosom.

                “You’re not gonna put frosting on my boobs.” Tony responded with aversion as he was aware of what Steve is yearning to do.

                “If not there, then what about—“

                “It’s not going on my butt either, ugh—you and your dirty fantasies.”

                “You always know how to make a man go mad with passion.” Steve mentioned as he carried their plates and silverware to the medium sized kitchen table while Tony brought over the fudge pastry. They sat across one another as usual, and then Tony sliced two equal portions of the dessert and divided them up on their plates. For a couple minutes, they were seated in a tranquil silence and ladling pieces of soft cake into their mouths.

                “I might get seconds, this is too marvelous.” Steve complimented as he was near of devouring his entire portion as he speared his fork into another chunk of the sweet dessert.

                “Thanks, that’s nice of you.” Tony said with a small smile as he swiped his tongue to lick off the sugary icing from his upper lip. 

                “Tony, may I ask you something?”

                “It depends what it is.”

                “You worked here in the asylum, what did you do? Were you a physician?”

                “Oh, I’m not a doctor. I worked as a software engineer, I think for about ten years.”

                “What does that title imply?”

                “I’m actually the only person who can fix the program of the Morphogenic Engine, if it has any glitches or if it breaks down, it’s my job to make it functional again.” Tony explained as he made a sorrowful sigh, he began tearing apart his cake with the prongs of his fork.

                “But, didn’t you know what that cursed machine does—“

                “I didn’t know what they were using it for; they managed to hide everything from me for a long time.”

                “The Von Doom Corporation was using you; they took advantage of your talent.” Steve reasoned as he was hurt that Tony was being controlled like a puppet for the selfishness of obtaining absolute power.

                “It’s true; usually they made me repair the data in a private place on my laptop to keep me ignorant. However, one day I was called in to report to the control panel where I saw how the doctors were torturing our patients with the Morphogenic Engine.”

                “Unfortunately, they have been doing this for a long time…”

                “I freaked out, I fixed the program and I was quickly pushed out the doors. I had to tell someone about this, I tried to contact a private journalist named Miles Upshur, but I got caught and they decided to make me into a patient that they could test on.” 

                “Has the Morphogenic Engine affected you in anyway?”

                “Yeah…I’m able to see the Walrider…” Tony confessed as he dropped his fork on his plate. By being exposed to the Morphogenic Engine for a short time, he has gained the demonic ability to see and sense when the Walrider is nearby. He recalled that he has physically seen the Walrider twice during his journey through the asylum before he went downstairs to “The Groom” territory, he would go into a trance-like state with his vision blurred by a flashing orange-yellow light, warning him that the Walrider is close by.

                “It looks like the both of us can detect him.” Steve said as he saw Tony soberly got out of his chair and started picking up their empty plates and their utensils. Tony crossed over to put the dishes inside the sink and he started washing with a feeling of hopelessness.

                “’The Walrider is out of control, and I don’t even think anyone can stop it…not even you, Steve.”

                “You’re right…I can’t defeat him…” Steve admitted as he rose from his seat and walked upon the glossy tile floor to approach his wife.

                “If he ever comes after us one day, don’t protect me, it would be all in vain.” Tony responded with a despondent note as he wiped the crumbs away from the porcelain plate and jerked open the lever of the facet.

                “I can’t do what you ask…” Steve replied gently with a grave countenance as he tightly clutched Tony’s shoulders with vehemence from behind.

                “You’ll die if you try—“

                “But I’ll still do it, I promise to protect you from the Walrider, I’ll die trying if I must.” Steve muttered in a hush whisper near Tony’s ear, he slowly slithered his large hands down Tony’s arms and positioned his own palms to lie on top of Tony’s soft hands.

                “Why would you do something like that…?” Tony asked with curiosity as he felt a little breathless when both his and Steve’s hands were cleaning the dishes together like one person, their fair skin being splashed by the running water and suds of soap.

                “I love you, that’s why.” Steve acknowledged without shame as he closed his alluring sky blue eyes and nuzzled against the fleecy shadowy locks of Tony’s fawn brown hair.

                “But shouldn’t you put your own life first? It’s more important than someone like me…I’m just a simple software engineer.” Tony said as he still could not fathom that Steve is so enamored by him that he is willing to sacrifice himself for his safety, Steve turned Tony around for them to face one another directly.

                “You are my life. I live because of you, you have to remember that.” Steve said fondly as he cradled Tony’s chin to feel the silk thistles of his Van Dyke beard, he cordially lifted Tony’s lowered head to gaze into the spheres of his russet glowing eyes.

                “Steve…I just wanna say I’m sorry, I haven’t really been a good wife to you…” Tony responded as he felt a bit guilty that he has been so unkind with his words towards Steve within these four months.

                “Don’t be silly. Every day you make me a happy man; you’re the only one who has ever done this for me. You are the perfect wife, Tony.” Steve reassured as he thought Tony’s apology was unnecessary, his hands meandered downward to clutch Tony’s waistline.

                “Oh Steve, I—“

                “My darling, you have nothing to be sorry about. You have been good to me.” Steve interjected as he leaned forward for his angular nose to touch Tony’s and he closed his glistening cerulean blue eyes. Tony could feel himself flush into a wine red color that began scorching his cheeks as their fit bodies were pressed firmly together, Tony did not even attempt to avoid it, he for once allowed it to occur. He felt Steve affectionately kiss him; the feathery stroke kneaded the velvet tissues of his cerise red lips, it wasn’t disgusting or rough, but it felt docile for once. Tony felt his long jet black eyelashes lower as if he was under a spell; he clung on the front of Steve’s gray shirt with his wet hands. Steve burrowed his blunt nails into Tony’s hip joints and Tony was mildly pushed for his lower back to feel the nudge of the sink’s rim. The damp smacking from their mouths was suspended when Tony withdrew first; he seemed suddenly bashful as he inhaled a few raspy breaths.

                “That was nice.” Tony commented with a pure light glittering from his hazel brown irises as his fingers were still curled up to grip the downy fabric of Steve’s shirt.

                “Thank you.” Steve responded with his pleasant deep voice as he swiftly flicked his tongue on his own bottom lip to still taste the remnants of chocolate cake and the appetizing flavor of Tony.

                “I should probably dry the dishes.”

                “No, leave them there.”

                “Why?”

                “I feel inspired when I look at you. Tony, please let me draw you.”

                “Huh?! You can draw?”

                “Yes, I was enrolled in an art school when I was younger.” Steve clarified as he grabbed Tony’s hand and both of them started jogging into the Victorian parlor, making them look like lovesick runaway teenagers.

                “I never modeled for anything or anyone before, I don’t have experience.” Tony remarked as he stood next to the small coffee table that held the expensive vase of valley lilies, he watched Steve rummage through the closet to find his supplies.

                “I am astounded to hear that, you look like a model to me. You’re very beautiful.” Steve complimented as he took out a drawing portfolio, pencils, and a petite block of charcoal.

                “Don’t be such a sweet-talker.” Tony said as he timorously ran his hand through his short lustrous strands of hair that wind up around his fingers.

                “Now, let’s get you into a pose.” Steve announced as he placed his materials aside for a moment to approach Tony, he carefully guided Tony to the huge beige couch. He laid Tony down to rest flat on his back, then Steve directed for Tony’s left leg to bend, he took a hold of the hem of Tony’s black skirt and slid it down to bundle around the area of his buttocks to reveal the entire glorious thick flesh of the upper thigh and the whole leg. Tony made a noisy gulp as Steve moved on to roll down the corners of the gown’s collar for the rich fabric to spool around the sides to unveil his round milky shoulders and the blue-violet bra straps. Steve slightly pulled down the front of the frock to show the laced edges of the bra’s cups, and he had Tony fold his hands on top of one another on the center of his heaving bosom. The final touch was the expression, so Steve thumbed on the warm surface of Tony’s mouth so his tempting rubicund lips can slightly part in an entrancing manner. The ecstatic blond then sat on an upholstered wing arm chair that is across from Tony’s current spot, he tossed open his drawing pad with a wooden pencil in his grip.

                “Okay Tony, turn your head this way and look at me.” Steve gave out his instructions and Tony obeyed him, letting his skull settle on the side to relax on a cushion and to look at his husband. He saw how Steve was already sketching, making rapid observations to let his roving eyes dart back and forth. Tony could feel the scarlet blush linger upon his heated cheeks as he remained in this erogenous stance, seeing Steve’s winter blue eyes peer over the dense sheet of his notebook. He had the humiliating thought that this was reminding him in a scene from _Titanic_ , he felt like Rose and Steve was his Jack, but he was grateful that he wasn’t naked.

                “Steve?”

                “Yes, my darling?”

                “This feels a lot like that movie _Titanic_.”

                “Sorry, I don’t understand that reference. Care to explain.” Steve said with a small smile as he dedicatedly outlined the lovely swell of Tony’s breasts.

                “Umm it’s like this; there is a poor artist who falls in love with a pretty rich girl on a ship. He loved her a lot; he drew a portrait of her.” Tony explained as simple as possible, leaving out the fact that Rose was in the nude for the scene. He was also shocked that Steve does not even know the famous romantic movie, but he could not blame him since his husband is stuck in the past and its outdated technology.

                “It seems we are quite similar to these characters.”

                “I guess we are.”

                “So what happened to this young fellow and his lady? Did they go on many adventures together after their trip?”

                “No, the ship sunk because of an iceberg. The guy practically sacrificed himself to save the girl…and she didn’t even ask him to do that for her…” Tony answered with melancholy as it seemed a bit like their conversation in the kitchen earlier about how Steve would give up his life to defend him from the Walrider.

                “That’s very sad, but I would have done the same thing as that man has done for his beloved. I suppose that’s what foolish men do when they’re in love.” Steve mentioned as his tender smile widened a bit to show a strip of his bleached white teeth, he was already drawing the sinewy tendons and the solid bulk of the camber of Tony’s folded leg. Tony was speechless as he felt himself blink a couple of times, his palms could feel his heart pulsate in an agile rhythm, feeling it almost burst when he was able to lock an intense gaze with Steve’s spellbinding cobalt blue eyes peeking back at him. _What’s happening to me? What is this feeling? I don’t know what’s going on_ …Tony’s thoughts felt scrambled as he continued to hear the soothing sound of the scrapping of the charcoal, Steve was shading the image and adding the details. Approximately thirty minutes passed by and it was getting more difficult for Tony to stay in the same position, he was about to flatten his leg, but he heard Steve snap his fingers at him.

                “No moving, just hold on for a little bit longer.”

                “Argh, how much are we talking about? I’m starting to get cramps.” Tony complained as he adjusted himself to look presentable again.

                “Almost there, my darling.” Steve replied patiently as he etched out the stiletto of Tony’s high heeled shoe.

                “This would probably be worse if I was standing.”

                “Exactly, now, close that pretty mouth of yours for a moment so I can get the form right.”

                “Fine…so bossy…” Tony murmured quietly as his luscious lips parted a bit that Steve ordered him to do in the beginning. After a while, Tony saw Steve put down his pencil and the raven black block on the table, Tony tugged his skirt to reach his knees again and he quickly sat up on the couch.

                “Okay, now I’m done.” Steve said as he held his portfolio with his hands smudged with gray chalk, Tony fixed the upper portion of his dress, and he hastily sprang to his feet and scurried over to Steve.

                “Ugh finally! Come on, let me see it.” Tony responded as he bended halfway forward a little behind the antique chair that Steve is sitting on. Steve held it up for Tony to view properly, Tony was stunned of the artwork. It was quite a magnificent piece; it was detailed to the fullest, the glimmering shine from Tony’s honey crystallized eyes, the curve of his lips, the vanilla muscle of his supple thighs, and the creamy skin of his bare clavicle bone.

                “What do you think?” Steve asked with a bit of anxiety as he watched Tony slowly touch the realistic masterpiece.

                “This is incredible, it’s so good.”

                “But it will never be as good as the real thing.” Steve acclaimed with a fond smile as he looked upward at Tony who seemed affected by the proclamation.

                “You always seem to know what to say to make me blush.” Tony said softly as he was hesitant at first, but he soon tousled the lion gold tufts of Steve’s hair to swerve to the left and his velutinous lips caressed the noble crest of Steve’s forehead. In a surprising view, Tony saw how Steve’s smile broadened and a bit of pink was powdered on his handsome mien; it seemed that the precious action has made him blissful.

                “I want to frame this, and just hang it in my office.”

                “Don’t do that, that’s so embarrassing.”

                “Well, I’m proud of having you as my wife; I can’t help it that I want to show you off.” Steve mentioned as he got up from his seat and closed his drawing pad, he placed it on the table’s countertop.

                “Believe me, there are better ways to express it.” Tony remarked as he made a small yawn, Steve’s light eyebrows quirked in an upward fashion.

                “Sounds like you’re tired, would you like to go to bed now?”

                “That’s what I need.”

                “All right, let’s get some sleep.” Steve concluded, without warning, he carried Tony bridal style. The astonished brunette hurriedly threw his arms around Steve’s neck with a sharp yelp, he held Tony steadfastly and he lied Tony down on the comfort of their mattress.

                “You know, you didn’t have to do that.”

                “I know, but I wanted to.” Steve merely replied as he circled around the bed and climbed on top to lie on his left arm, right next to Tony to look at him like he usually does when they retire for the day.

                “You’re a strange man, Steve.” Tony said as he began drumming his fingers upon his own belly and glance up at the canopy roof of the bed.

                “If you say so, my darling.” Steve made a chuckle as he was quite thunderstruck when he saw Tony rest on his right flank to face him, this is the first time that Tony has done this, and he would typically see his wife’s backside.

                “Steve, do you wanna know something?”

                “Yes, please tell me.”

                “This was probably the best day I ever had.” Tony acknowledged with an amiable tone as he felt Steve begin cosseting the arch of his cheek bone.

                “With you, every day is wonderful…” Steve said as he felt Tony clasp over his hand, squeezing it genially. Tony did not feel any ounce of fear or odium towards Steve; he can finally sleep with his own visage facing Steve’s, to be able to look at his own husband’s face. He felt the dark wings of his lashes flutter and he was starting to sink into an irresistible slumber. Darkness veiled his sight when his eyelids closed, but the last picture he saw was the dazzling twinkle in Steve’s innocent baby blue eyes and the rapturous smile on his apple red full lips. _I think I love you Steve_ …It was the only thought that Tony conjured in his mind, and the final gesture he felt was an amorous smooch on his own tomato red lips that remained immobile by the warm touch from Steve’s mouth. Sweet whispers and letters of love flowed into Tony’s ears musically; he rubbed the tough bumps of Steve’s knuckles and felt as if the nightmare has transformed into a true fantasy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More tags will be added for the next chapter! Until next time!


	6. Psychotic Passion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony loves Steve and wonders what he can do to show him that. He also learns how Steve was able to make their expensive safe house, soon enough he and Steve have a wild night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very smutty, this is where the anal and oral sex tags appear, this is your warning!

         It was five twenty-three in the early evening, Tony Stark-Rogers sat on the upholstered bench in front of the lacquered black piano. He was wearing a hunter green dress with a short V-neck design with long sleeves, he was daydreaming and peering out between the iron poles of the barred windows. Tony repeatedly played the same three black notes on the keyboard, as he watched how the daylight sparkled by the flaming colors of twilight. For the last couple of weeks, Steve has been lavishing him with endless romance and has been treating him with gentleness, Tony no longer cringed or was afraid when his husband is nearby or sleeping beside him in bed. A single thought nagged annoyingly in his mind, he wondered if it was so wrong to fall in love with a psycho, basically with the man who dismantled his entire life and is known for his cruel intentions. It took a while for Tony to register the impossible notion of ever having affection for a madman, every day he is able to see the man that Steve once was, before tragedy and torture entered his life. It meant so much to Tony that a single person actually desires him but most importantly needs him, and perhaps he is destined to heal Steve, who was left in turmoil and with shattered emotions. Tony became a bit bored that he rose from the flat ebony seat and started to exit out of the Victorian parlor with his lowered eyes studying the fine carpet, he was not paying any attention that he became surprised when he crashed onto something. He looked up and saw that he was within the protective brace of Steve, his calloused hands gripping the sides of his shoulders with a friendly smile.

                “Be careful, my darling. You could have gotten hurt.” Steve said calmly as his appearance seemed old-fashioned today. It looked like a 1940’s attire since he has on a simple white dress shirt, raven black trousers, and a pair of dark suspenders on his broad upper torso.

                “Sorry, I was just gonna head over to the other room.”

                “Would you like some company?”

                “Sure.” Tony simply replied as he and Steve walked side-by-side together, they approached the cherry blossom tree with its lonely swing. Tony climbed up the trunk of the enormous plant and decided to sit on one of the branches, he peered down at his husband, and he gestured to the amused blond to join him. Steve effortlessly scaled up and took his place next to Tony who began rocking his legs back and forth.

                “Steve, I’ve been meaning to ask you this, but how were you able to make all this possible?” Tony questioned and was referring to their luxurious household, ever since Steve brought him into this ostentatious place; he was bothered of how his husband can afford all this.

                “Let’s just say, it took a lot of scheming.”

                “What kind of things did you do?”

                “The doctors wanted to continue testing on me with latex tubing, I resisted and I choked them to death with those tubes. I went berserk and the physicians needed me alive and calm since I was chosen to be the Walrider’s host. So they needed to indulge me.” Steve explained with a wry smile as he chipped off a piece of bark from the tree trunk.

                “They didn’t drug you?”

                “No, most of them don’t work on me. However, the ones that do work would ruin my progression in opening my body for the Walrider to possess, it lowered my dream state and it increased my aggression.”

                “I’m guessing they had to separate you from everyone. Downstairs use to be a computer room, but the computers became obsolete and ended up being a storage place. So they put you down here.” Tony inferred as he recalled that when he was eighteen and started working for the Von Doom Corporation, he heard the rumor of the lower floors being transformed into restricted zones for the safety of the employees. He just never knew that he and everyone else were being protected from Steve.

                “Right, they made this space my own home. To keep me from becoming violent, they granted my request of giving me textiles and machines because I desired to make clothes for my future wife. They were content that I was tranquil and spend my days quietly sowing.”

                “Okay, that explains the outfits. Did the doctors give you funds to build our house?”

                “No, they’re just a bunch of greedy bastards. So, I stole money from the company, especially the wages for the doctors. I made sure to do it every time I was tested, so I can have an excuse for wandering through the executive offices by blaming the side effects from the experimentations.”

                “I use to wonder why we suddenly got paid less on our checks, it’s because you were taking money.” Tony said without too much surprise since he is aware that Steve is capable of anything.

                “I bribed nurses and new workers to provide whatever I asked for in secret. I got everything, they smuggled the items to me and I paid them. I was able to get wood to make the furniture and gain all these frivolous decorations.”

                “Everything looks really expensive.”

                “I had to steal all that money, because you deserve the best. I did this for us Tony, and for the children we will have.” Steve clarified with vehemence, it was his mission to construct a comfortable home for his family, and he had no other option but to pilfer the cash for survival.

                “I’m not gonna lecture you, I know you had to do all that.” Tony comprehended as he could not blame his husband for creating such a magical atmosphere out of love and for the sake of balancing his sanity.

                “I bear no shame, my intentions were good. It took me a decade to accomplish all this, but it’s worth it since I’m sharing it with you.” Steve said as he glanced at Tony with churning cobalt eyes, he watched how Tony made a shuddery breath.

                “I wish I know what else I can do for you. You’ve done a lot for me already.”

                “Tony, a few weeks ago, you baked me a cake.” Steve mentioned as he still held it as a fond memory.

                “Well, I felt bad for having you to tell me about your past. It must have been so tough for you to talk about those awful memories.”

                “Actually it wasn’t, for the first time I was able to talk to someone about it. Keeping it all to myself wounded me the most, so it felt right when I was able to tell you everything.”

                “I’m glad that I could be there for you.” Tony responded with a small smile as he folded his hands together and settled them on his lap, he felt better that he at least invested more than he realized in their relationship.

                “I thank you for that.” Steve said as he plucked out a full-bloomed pink flower from one of the nearby twigs, he twirled it by its small stem in between his fingers.

                “What will you be doing?” Tony questioned as he crossed his legs and pulled his skirt down a bit.

                “I have to fix the facet from the kitchen; I think a screw is loose since it has been dripping.”

                “Yeah, it has been like that since yesterday.”

                “What about you? Any plans?”

                “Umm, I’m just gonna clean the closet, it looks messy in there.”

                “Then we better get started.”

                “Okay, then I’ll see you when it’s bedtime.” Tony concluded as he was about to jump off of the tree, but he felt Steve suddenly grasped his left wrist to prevent him from leaving.

                “Before we go our separate ways, there is one thing left to do.” Steve said as he placed the cherry blossom on the side of Tony’s head for the stalk to act like a hairpin.

                “What was that for?” Tony inquired as he could feel his own heart to start to speed up, Steve made a chuckle.

                “It’s just a reminder that you make everything beautiful.” Steve answered as he stroked Tony’s chin to feel the silky bristles of dark facial hair ruffle against his fingers, then he made a mild kiss upon Tony’s scarlet lips.

The joyful blond leaped off of the tree and landed on his polished formal shoes, he nodded farewell to his wife and exited out the chamber to travel into the kitchen. Tony was left alone in a crimson blush as he lightly touched the petite petals of the pure flower; he hopped out to return back to the boarded floors. _Steve has been so nice to me, maybe I should do something special for him, but what can I do…?_ Tony thought as he passed by the Victorian parlor and entered the master bedroom area, he went on his knees to face the huge closet and started taking out random items from it. He began organizing it; he even found Steve’s tuxedo and his fancy wedding dress both in a plastic bag on wire hangers, seeing their marriage garbs preserved. About forty minutes ticked by, and he was almost done, he lined up Steve’s shoes and even grouped his husband’s shirts by color. He took out a massive vanity mirror from the closet, and he let it lean against the armchair for the reflective surface to face the bed. However, Tony saw in the far corner, a big rectangular box with a curly bow pasted on its center, near it was a name written with a black sharpie pen: _Tony_. He brought it out and flung the lid open, it was addressed to him from Steve, and he was wondering if this was supposed to be a gift. He pushed the tissue paper away to uncover a sexy outfit; he gulped loudly since Steve must have wanted him to put this on in their wedding night and to have sex. Tony fretfully slammed the top back on the container, but he could not resist taking a few more peeps at the raunchy costume. The more he looked at it, he felt more compelled to connect it with his earlier thought of doing something extraordinary for his husband and put more effort into their less than ordinary marriage. _Steve must have planned for me to wear this for our ‘honeymoon’, he must have forgotten about it…god it looks so slutty, but maybe I should try it on_ …Tony was relying on his impulses that he unconsciously found himself to switch to the erogenous clothing, it took him about fourteen minutes to put it on since he found it difficult to distinguish which part goes where. The last thing he did was that he took out the cherry blossom out of his hair and put it on the drawer that is near their bed, he would hate if anything bad happened to the flower. After he was finished, he pondered for a while of how to lure Steve into the bedroom, he figured he could steal one of his husband’s tools, and Steve will just come in asking about his missing device needed to repair the facet. Tony quietly snuck into the kitchen and saw Steve facing the sink, he was installing a new metal screw and he had to insert a circular band to attach the pieces together. The cunning brunette noticed that all of the tools were sprawled around the granite counter-top; Tony tip toed and snatched the wrench, and he scurried away soundlessly with his prize.

In less than two minutes, Steve turned around and discovered that one of his working utensils has disappeared; he thought he might have misplaced it. Steve journeyed through the Victorian parlor and decided to ask his wife about it, perhaps Tony will have an idea where it could be since the closet is being cleaned out.

                “Hey Tony, have you seen my—“Steve began but his question died when he saw his wife standing in front of their bed. Tony was wearing hot rod red bridal lingerie; he had on a push-up Basque corset that has a cut out neckline and spaghetti straps. It is semi-transparent below the corpulent breasts to be able to see the engraved lines of his sturdy abdomen and the cute navel, with its hem sown to look like a tiny skirt that reached his tailbone, it is decorated with see-through fabric with glass and beaded embellishments. He has on a thin thong with a skinny waist band. Tony also donned on black satin thigh- high stockings with the garter belts that hooked from its bands to the hem of the body-hugging corset. He wore blood red platform high heeled shoes with suede golden ankle straps and metallic stilettos. Steve watched how Tony posed his left palm on his buxom midriff as his other hand was twirling the wrench like a baton.

                “Oh, were you looking for this? Tony probed purposely with a soft purr as he tossed the tool to Steve who caught it, but he still seemed thunderstruck with his mouth wide open.

                “Not anymore.” Steve responded with a powerful rumble that erupted in his esophagus, he hurled the metal tool aside. Tony made a crafty smirk in between his rosy full lips, he strutted towards the mattress to let Steve see the charcoal black hook- eye fasteners on the back of the corset and see his plush scrumptious bare cheeks jiggle for every step he took, seeing the velour red string in between. He leaned a bit to rest his temples on one of the posts of the bedstead and slid his hand down on the smooth pillar in a seductive way.

                “I thought you had work to do?” Tony mentioned coyly as he battered the long jet black wings of his lashes, Steve shook his head hurriedly and he approached Tony to turn the attractive brunette around and seized him by his pelvis.

                “With you dress like this, it can wait.”

                “Do you like it?”

                “Yes I do, oh I must have you!” Steve replied with eagerness as he burrowed his dull nails into the sateen material and the shallow gaps of Tony’s hip joints. He sprung forward and was about to kiss Tony, but his wife stopped him by pressing his index finger on his lips to stop him.

                “You will have me, and whatever you ask, I’ll do it.” Tony said with a conniving wink as he was letting Steve know that he is consenting and will obey his every command. He peeled the obscure colored suspenders from Steve’s beefy shoulders to dangle on his sides; he slowly unbuttoned every clear button from the snow white dress shirt. Tony eradicated it for it to slip off of Steve’s brawny upper torso and tumble down on the frieze carpeting; he stilled his palm upon Steve’s sternum and could feel the wild pulsations of his husband’s heart. The tantalizing brunette glided his hand downward to grapple Steve’s leather belt, but he felt his husband seize his wrist and shake his head in disapproval.

                “I don’t want you to take it off with your hands.” Steve clarified with a wicked grin as he planted his hands on Tony’s vanilla velvet shoulders and pushed him down for him to go on his knees. Tony understood and unwinds the rawhide girdle with the pull of his perfect pearly teeth; he tugged the entire rigid cincture that skidded out of the loop holes of Steve’s unwrinkled trousers to let the belt fall in between them. Steve was becoming more excited in every second as he watched how his lovely wife proceeded to use his maw to unhook the pants; Tony clamped the zipper in between his lush ruddy red lips and jerked it downward. The hunky blond’s pants dropped to tangle around his ankles, leaving him in a pair of navy blue boxer briefs. Tony could see how Steve’s big groin has hardened; he first nuzzled the delicious bulge with the tip of his finely arched nose to feel the spandex texture and he made a dainty smooch on the huge lump. Steve felt his own nostrils flare out of satisfaction when Tony started hauling down his underwear to free his private parts and flop down upon his feet.

                “Pleasure me, my darling.” Steve ordered with a sexual cord strumming in his gullet as Tony was quite impressed and stunned of the width and length of his husband’s cock. Tony gripped it by its base and poked his tongue on the slit, licking the red-pink tip and he made a beguiling moan while slurping the salt and musk flavors. Steve uttered an enticing groan as he felt Tony swirl his starving tongue around the foreskin, he traveled upward to have it halfway in his mouth without his gag reflexes kicking in yet. Tony drove Steve to a blissful insanity when he started fingering and caressing the scrotum, feeling the brush of coarse hair and grapple on one of the testicles for the fat ball to cuddle in his curled palm.

                “Ah, you have such a pretty mouth—that’s it darling, take it in.” Steve coaxed with a cut breath as he could feel Tony suck gently, he gripped the rich dark strands behind Tony’s skull for the burnished tresses to coil around his long fingers. He plunged forward for Tony to intake most of his shaft, the head of his cock starting hitting the back of Tony’s throat which would clench and relax repeatedly against the member. Steve made sharp recurring movements for the hefty groin to bobble and dip further down Tony’s compressed esophagus; he was at the enticing brink to start suffocating as he could feel his eyeballs loll. Tony’s hand clung onto Steve’s light pubic hair as he could feel his husband prod in his oral cavity fiercely and Tony was making muffled sounds of elation. Steve let out a raucous bellow and Tony felt Steve ejaculate for a warm stream of cum to swim down the grotto of his gullet. The aroused brunette swallowed the sticky discharge, he swiftly shifted backwards to detach from the cock, he saw how a couple of threads of saliva either snapped or were still intact to connect with his maw and the crown of Steve’s shaft. Tony inhaled deeply to fill his smothered lungs with fresh oxygen; Steve lowered himself a bit to wipe off his pale semen from Tony’s parted lips with his thumb.

                “Now it is my turn to return the favor.” Steve commented with a hypnotic tenor as he watched how Tony slightly wobbled when he rose back on his golden stiletto heels.

                “What are we gonna do now?” Tony asked with a mesmerizing half-smile as he was becoming ecstatic for their next filthy game, Steve muttered malicious cracklings as he gesticulated towards their expansive bed.

                “Make yourself presentable, and I’ll handle the rest.” Steve vaguely explained as he watched how Tony went on the bed to crouch on all fours like an animal.

                “Like this, Steve? Is this how you like it?” Tony teasingly wagged his appetizing rear end as he arched his back in an alluring manner.

                “Mmm, daddy likes.” Steve then positioned himself to be behind his wife, he lifted the embroidered hem of the corset, and flipped over the see-through super-mini skirt. He first unlatched the garter belts to disconnect from the corset’s stitching and from the laced bands of the stockings. Steve took a hold of the gaunt filament of Tony’s glitzy thong and slipped it off of him, delightfully watching the pudgy flesh of Tony’s buttocks billow and tremble gloriously. He smelled the lacy panties by sliding the velveteen material under his angular nose, inhaling the succulent fragrance; he made a gratifying sigh of the heavenly aroma and then tossed the undergarment away. Steve quickly opened the drawer that was sitting near their bedstead as Tony glimpsed behind and was astonished to see numerous of bottles of a variety of lotions for sexual activity, seeing how his husband is well-prepared. Steve hastily popped the cap off a tube and squirted the cream on his hands, rubbing the sweet slippery substance on his own erection. Tony made his upper body lie fully on the bed sheets and let his lower half freeze in an upward position; he was becoming impatient and made a few piqued noises.

                “Don’t make me wait any longer! Steve I need you in me—please—!” Tony was already beseeching pitifully as he felt Steve playfully whacked his palm against the left flank of his moon-crescent thigh.

                “I love when you beg, baby.” Steve said as he smacked both of his large hands on the comely bends of Tony’s butt, he avidly spread the porcine cheeks to view the small cherry red pucker. Steve budged forward for his damp cock to easily snake inside the entrance; he was tormenting Tony by only inserting inch by inch.

                “Do me Steve! Do me!” Tony chanted breathlessly as he finally felt his husband’s solid dick jab in, Tony started screaming in a high pitch shrill. Steve slots his wide waist against Tony’s and rocked in a rapid tempo, Tony was being pounded ruthlessly as he could feel his inner walls burn and shrink to cuddle the ravenous groin. Tony attempted to match the speedy pace by jostling back to sink more into the groove and into Steve. The globes of his ravishing butt cheeks swallowed both the head and the shaft, Steve breached further and he clutched Tony on the front of his elegant neck with fingernails digging into the pumped tendons.

                “You like that, don’t you?! You’re such a dirty little girl.” Steve roared libidinously as he plunged deeper for his tingling cock to be engulfed; the root of the groin was getting closer to Tony’s crack line and he started to print out sloppy kisses and take a few swift bites across Tony’s trapezius muscle that is located below his shoulder. Tony felt his translucent hazel brown eyes flood with watery droplets; he clasped the messy blankets in his hands that spiraled into shivering fists. His shimmering golden knife-like heels tottered precariously to make him unbalanced with the accompaniment of his buttery legs quaking excessively. However, it granted him the height to lurch his plundered hindquarters to guzzle the majority of Steve’s hard cock. Tony then wailed lasciviously as his crystal tears broke through for the bitter sea colored beads to dowse and dribble down his heated wine red cheeks. He felt Steve spray a heavy load of seed inside of him, it rushed in hotly and a few rivulets of the pallid cum trickled from Tony’s butthole to creep downward to stain the top portions of his dusky tights. Steve was releasing a non-stop musical of his titillating grunts and Tony joined the symphony by his ear-splitting shrieks, he started to curse stridently as Steve was still latched on.

                “Damn, oh god—Steve—ooohhh! Faster! Harder!” Tony howled with a licentious tone when he felt Steve grind brutally for the sound of skin slapping against each other to ring out, Tony oscillated his beatific waist to thump harshly on Steve, his butt cheeks vibrating entrancingly. His husband made a toothy leer of the request that he rutted with an increased alacrity, he hummed jovially in the recesses of his sore throat. Tony jolted underneath as he swore in a cacophony to stammer out naughty fragmented sentences.

                “Oh so good! More!” Tony managed to blurt out in an articulate voice as he bucked his hips against the rotation of Steve’s waist.

                “Keep saying my name, Tony!” Steve declared in a booming voice, his frosty blue eyes were glazed with a drowning lust and his dark pupils were blown. Tony was content and amazed that Steve has a long-lasting erection; including having the ability to double his strength and speed even though he already expelled a huge amount of energy.

                “Steve, Steve, STEVE!!” Tony vocalized vociferously as he felt multiple orgasms ripple and rip his shuddering sweaty body, not only was his reproductive system tweaked to allow him to conceive children, he hardly has a refractory period during sex for him to experience many instances of sexual peaks . Steve released another batch of insipid dyed semen; it drenched and marred Tony’s ink black stockings, he then swallowed a weighty breath and slipped his lubricated penis out to hear a squelching sound. He saw how opaque white webs of cum were splattered all over his shaft and Tony’s butt, Tony made a soft sigh feeling faint with his limbs quavering, he limply laid his exhausted battered body on the cushioned mattress. Steve was still pricked with an intense craving that he sat down and took a hold of Tony by his waistline and dragged him to have a seat on his lap, Tony uttered out a few aching whimpers as he rubbed against Steve’s crotch.

                “Want it—want it inside me again—“Tony’s vocals were reduced to a low volume, it sounded raspy but he was beseeching for his husband to stick his dick back inside of him.

                “How easily you become weak under my control. Mmm, I love it.” Steve whispered with a beckoned call near Tony’s ear, he hoisted the brunette a bit and Tony draped his entire left arm to settle on the back of Steve’s broad shoulder for equilibrium and he clapped his right hand over the side of Steve’s knee. The amorous blond slithered his rough hands upward from the slopes of Tony’s hip bones, slowly his fingers outlined the crevices of Tony’s burly abdomen and felt the brush of the semi-transparent fabric rustle against his tips. Tony's bovine chest bloated outward to get the lost air back in his desperate lungs, but Steve saw it as a tempting sight, Steve then clutched Tony’s ample chest, firmly squeezing it to feel the silk push-up cups of the Basque bodice and the pudgy flesh. Steve then hauled down the side for the strap and cloth to droop crookedly around Tony’s humorous bone for the left portion of his bosom to expose.

                “Steve—please—“Tony whined with an unbearable thirst, his loins itched and he could not stop smothering his voluptuous derrière all over Steve’s stiff groin. Steve decided to reach over the topless tube of lubricant and slathered his rock-hard cock with more oil by massaging his penis with one hand. He was enraptured of the notion that he and his wife both have insatiable appetites; he elevated Tony a little with his strong grip. Tony then eased into Steve’s erection to let it be welcomed back into his moist cave, Tony squealed rapturously when it rammed in between his juicy buttocks with its thickness poking and skating around. Steve then suckled on Tony’s unveiled supple torso, he quaffed the meat by the mouthful, and he would nibble and twist the cerise red nipple. Steve heightened the level further by skimming both of his hands to seize the sarcous undersides of Tony’s luminous thighs coated by the stockings; he then stretched out Tony’s athletic legs as far as he could. Tony screeched in an ear-shattering fluctuation of the lethal combination of his limbs flexing out to the dire limits and Steve’s throbbing penis piercing viciously for Tony to spasm of the extricating twinges. He could feel his jaws snap as creeks of spit swam down the corners of his open mouth, the amylase blotched his shadowy facial hair to make the tiny thistles look murkier and sleek, yarns of saliva sagged and sopped to cling onto the rim of his chin. Tony’s neglected cock curled upon his fit belly. It blemished the sateen corset with its tomato red tip oozing with cum, which smeared around the crevices of his tummy and some of the pasty white sheen splat against his upper thighs and the bed sheets. He did not care since he was focused on the backside action. Steve bounced Tony mildly on his lap which stimulated Tony to make incoherent ramblings and feel his tight hole feel the electrifying friction of sliding up and down Steve’s harden groin which operated like a pole. The blond was saturated with perspiration as he hissed out of frenzy. The mirror that Tony took out earlier in the day was still propped up by the support of the armchair; it was in front of their bed.

                “Look at yourself, Tony, look how beautiful you are when you come undone.” Steve complimented hoarsely and then he clamped down his bleached white teeth to nibble the creamy flank of Tony’s neck. Tony then saw their reflections on the polished surface of the mirror; he could feel his high cheeked bone visage tinged into a cranberry red of the explicit image. There he was with his salacious legs spread far apart, with his own groin lifted and seeping out the pastel fluid, and the patch of dark pubic hair. Steve was flicking his gluttonous tongue upon his skin to taste the savory perfume and cucumber soap and it was graphically seen that his beastly cock plugged his anus, getting him so soaked, Tony was displayed as a hot mess with semen and saliva mixed up and splashed on different regions of his body. Tony was panting profoundly and would make vulgar squawks when he undulate his pelvis in a swaying motion to descend lower for more of the prostatic liquid to flow in his gaping hole. He was losing the majority of his vigor that he tilted forward for his rear end to be liberated from Steve’s cock by a squashing pop, and he slumped down wearily to lie on his gut. Steve made a smug but satisfied ‘ah’ noise; he crawled forward to cosset Tony’s lower back.

                “Oh my sweet darling.” Steve said affectionately as his gullet felt dry as a desert, he turned Tony over to make him lie on his backside. Tony still had the lingering rubicund red shade on his warm cheeks while Steve locked his hips on Tony’s so the brunette will be pinned under the lower half of his impeccable body.

                “My god…oh my god…” Tony was speechless as he felt feverish; he felt his fair forehead with his palm to make sure he was still conscious, he felt so hazy. He then perched his hands on Steve’s brawny shoulders and felt his husband’s sapphire blue eyes locked on his like an unbreakable hex.

                “I’m sorry, I couldn’t be gentle—“

                “No, you made the right choice, I wanted it rough.”

                “Damn Tony, it felt like I made love to an angel, not a human being.” Steve commented with a jolly smile as he felt Tony rub the nape of his sizzling neck.

                “How do you know what that’s like? You had sex with angels before?” Tony inquired amusingly as he was joking around with Steve’s flattering statement.

                “Of course not, that’s not what I mean.”

                “I’m kidding, I understood it.” Tony merely clarified as he fondly combed through the golden tufts of Steve’s hair.

                “This is the best surprise you have ever given me. I love you so much.” Steve acknowledged tenderly as he lowered his head to kiss Tony, their swollen lips grazed on one another’s and they streaked each other’s parted maws with their jagged breaths.

                “Yeah, well I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.” Tony replied as he was still bashful on saying the words ‘I love you’ to Steve, in reality he is, but his timid nature is restricting him. Steve nodded and slouched over to lie beside Tony; it did not take long for Tony to snuggle against his crazy but benevolent husband. The compassionate blond instantly scooped Tony in the cradle of his arms, Tony buried his flushed face against the hot bulk of Steve’s muscled chest.

                “Sweet dreams, my darling.” Steve concluded as his angular nose rustled through the fleecy tresses of Tony’s dark brown hair, he smooch the top of his cranium with happiness. This experience with Tony was perfect, for Tony is blessed with beauty and a generous heart; Tony must have not only done this out of spontaneity but demonstrate how much he loves him. Steve felt he did not have to hear Tony tell him that he loves him, he already knows because he felt it…

 

                It was nine fifty-eight in the early morning with the soft glow of sunlight seeping through the steel bars and the half opened caramel drapes of the windows. Tony cracked opened his drowsy eyes to appear in slits, letting the honey syrup irises glimmer under his lids, he slammed his right arm to his side to hear a fat pillow squash by the weight. He became startled and saw how Steve was missing; it wounded him deeply since he expected to wake up next to him, especially after a thrilling night of pure ecstasy. Tony examined himself to see how he was still in his Basque corset and the black stockings marked with smudges of dry semen, but he was flabbergasted when he noticed that he is wearing Steve’s airy white dress shirt. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and slowly rose from the filthy mattress, seeing how Steve’s shirt was big on him that it reached down to his thick thighs. Tony at least hooked the bottom buttons to veil his private parts; he rubbed one of the long sleeves near his round nose with his fawn eyes shut. He inhaled profoundly for Steve’s enchanting scent to flow into the caverns of his nostrils and he formed a dainty smile on his strawberry red lips. _Oh my god, he put his shirt on me, he’s so sweet_ … Tony resolved to search out his husband, his metallic golden heels thumped against the carpet, but suddenly Tony was seized by an unearthly pain that he quickly grabbed one of the columns of the bedstead since he almost collapsed. There was a fiery ache all over his body, his inner thighs burned and especially on his hindquarters, Tony was forced to limp and positioning his hand over his butthole that was abused repetitively from the previous evening. He eventually entered the kitchen and felt his spirits rejoiced when he saw Steve installed the final ring on the facet to finally finish the repair, he was only wearing his dark boxer briefs. Steve spun around and saw his gorgeous wife approaching him; a merry expression appeared on his handsome mien and he did not give Tony the chance to walk further because Steve immediately rushed towards him.

                “Good morning, my darling.” Steve greeted with a chirpy attitude as he enveloped Tony in his burly arms, hugging him in a tight cuddle.

                “Morning, umm I noticed you weren’t in bed.” Tony replied as his hands touched Steve’s muscled toned back.

                “I wanted you to get some sleep, I’m sorry if I wasn’t there.”

                “Well, you’re not forgiven.” Tony said with a crackling voice since he busted his vocals with the constant screaming from yesterday, he was jesting as he playfully shoved Steve.

                “How can I make it up?”

                “Oh you’ll think of something.”

                “I do have a few ideas.” Steve simply stated as his left light eyebrow quirked upward in a sly manner as he snaked his hands to cup the sides of Tony’s breasts.      

                “I bet you do.”

                “Of course.”

                “Steve?” Tony spoke up as he felt his husband meander his fingers downward to feel the curves of his body that is bound in the bodice.     

                “Yes, Tony?” Steve responded as he made an inaudible gulp when Tony strokes his cold cheeks with the warmth of his palms, he circled his thumbs on the light skin.

                “I didn’t get to tell you last night, but I love you.” Tony confessed as he felt Steve tilt forward to make his noble forehead tap against his, Steve’s smile stretched with radiance to reveal his dimples.

                “I love you too, Tony.” Steve replied as he felt as if his soul was levitating and entering the heavens, it was the first time he has heard Tony publically announce this emotion. He tenderly caressed Tony’s full apple red lips; Tony parted his mouth automatically for Steve’s gentle lips to lock in perfectly. They made a sweet kiss with Tony drawing back first out of shyness; he felt his slick bottom lip slide from the pinch of Steve’s pearly teeth.

                “Are you hungry? You must be with all those calories you burned last night.” Tony said as he exit out of Steve’s grapple and went over to head for the cabinets.

                “It’s hard to resist you when you’re wearing bridal lingerie.” Steve commented with a lecherous sneer, he thought it was nice of Tony wanting to cook him breakfast, he good-humoredly smacked Tony on his butt. It alarmed Steve that it made Tony jolt and yowl like a dying cat, Tony almost fell but he managed to grab the rim of the sink and keep himself up.

                “Ugh…why…?” Tony could hardly form a sentence as he straightened himself gradually with his legs quivering; he massaged his aching buttocks with agony.

                “Oh geez, I’m so sorry, I forgot.” Steve apologized sincerely as he lifted Tony to be fully on his feet again, Tony opened a cubby in front of him and took out a skillet and slammed it against the stove, he ignited the flames.

                “You’re lucky that I’m in a good mood.”

                “You were the one who kept asking to put my cock inside of you.”

                “Yeah so, you drilled me pretty hard. I felt like I was gonna die, but in a good way.” Tony said as he snatched a bottle sitting nearby and poured a bit of cooking oil on the pan, he wish he could relive that moment over and over again.

                “It would have been cruel to deny you, especially when you were begging so prettily.” Steve replied craftily as he considered Tony’s pleading and high shrieks as a mesmerizing melody that he would replay in his mind. Tony snorted as he took a few steps to flung open the door of the titanium refrigerator and took out a carton of eggs.

                “You loved it, didn’t you, you sicko.” Tony responded with a laugh as he rapped a white egg against the edge of the counter and successfully broke it, he let the gooey yellow yoke splat on the skillet.

                “What’s not to like.” Steve said as he fondly embraced Tony’s backside by weaving his strong arms around Tony’s waist.

                “There you go again, always saying the right things.” Tony spoke up softly as his left hand motioned the fork to scrap along the egg’s whites so they won’t stick unto the metal surface. He placed his right palm to settle on Steve’s intertwined limbs that securely latched on his curvy hips. Tony giggled happily when he felt Steve kissed the side of his neck as he had a simple thought. _Oh how I love him_ …

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized since this is my version of Outlast Stony, I should continue this and not be concerned of anything else. It is a tale I'm supposed to have fun with, and I should continue for that reason. Thanks to all who are still interested in this crazy story.


	7. The Promised Heir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony goes through another nightmare exploration through the asylum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I was busy with exams, but here is a new chapter!

      About three weeks have passed, Tony Stark-Rogers was kneeling in front of the toilet in the spacious bathroom in the hour of twilight; he quickly lifted the lid and seat. He then hitched up the soft skirt of his black-violet dress to bundle around his luminous arc upper thighs by making a side knot. Tony lowered his head and began vomiting; he gripped the cool porcelain flanks of the toilet and felt his esophagus burn of the rush of half-digestive food. After a few minutes, he remained on his knee caps to recuperate his composure; he placed his right hand on his belly with a repulsed expression, he used his other hand to flush down his barf and then he slowly rose to his feet. Tony shook his head and untied the bow he made to let the kilt of his gown flow freely back to touch the comely bends of his calves. He walked over to stand in front of the sink and he lifted the lever of the facet, his hands cupped a pool of water and he poured it in his mouth that was filled with foul flavors, he gargled for a while and spit bitterly for the dirty fluid to swim down the drain. Tony closed the facet and dried his wet facial hair with a small towel that was nearby. _I don’t get it, why do I keep throwing up, I don’t feel sick. It can’t be my cooking, it’s good now! Weird, it has been the third time this week_ …Tony thought as he flung the rag on the countertop as he had to cast away his pensive mood when he heard the door click open. He spun around as his hands grappled the sink’s edge; he saw it was Steve coming in with his usual charming smile.

                “Ah, there is my lovely wife.” Steve declared with joviality as he immediately approached Tony and perched his large palms upon the brunette’s curvy hips. He was about to greet Tony with a cordial kiss, but Tony clasped his hand over Steve’s eager mouth.

                “Uh, sorry, it’s just I haven’t brush my teeth yet.” Tony explained with a valid excuse, he was determined to not tell Steve that he has been feeling queasy lately, he did not want to worry him and he would hate to smooch Steve with his unclean maw.

                “Oh, all right. Well I’ll be going outside then.”

                “Huh, what do you mean ‘outside’?”

                “It is exactly what it means, my darling. I’m just going to visit the outer part of the Prison Block, to remind those Variants who they should fear.” Steve clarified as his deep melodious voice was shrouded with obscurity; he snapped his white boned knuckles against his palm to hear a cracking sound.

                “Will it be asking too much if I can tag along?” Tony asked with curiosity as he was hoping that Steve will let him accompany him, he figured he needed a bit of fresh air to rid of his nausea. Steve rolled up the sleeves of his raven black shirt with his light eyebrows quirked in surprise.

                “You wish to go with me, but wouldn’t you rather stay here?”

                “I feel like I’ve been cooped up in here for too long, it would be nice to see the outside, even if it’s still here in the grounds of the asylum.” Tony said as he and Steve went out the bathroom to venture into the Victorian parlor. Tony figured that to be safe he should come prepared, he approached the hickory drawer and took out his camcorder that was stashed away for quite some time, he was glad that the string was still attached to it. He carefully tied it around his hips with a firm knot.

                “I can’t deny you. All right, come with me and let us be off.” Steve accepted as he was delighted that his wife desires to be by his side, it was another opportunity for him to be with Tony. He held out his open hand, Tony slipped his palm into Steve’s clutch for the both of them to tightly hold onto one another. The married couple walked out of the antique door of their safe house and entered through the dim lighted hallways of Mount Massive Asylum in Steve’s territory. They soon emerged into Steve’s unsanitary workplace where a hill of dead Variants was stacked up near the bloody platform and the razor sharp buzz-saw, Steve did not bother to discard the rotting corpses or the spilled intestines on the grimy floor. Steve quickly approached the wooden board where he bounded many of his victims and Tony; he wrenched out the carving knife from the lumber, and grasped it by its dark handle.

                “It's for your safety.” Steve simply announced as he saw how Tony slunk closer to him to have his arms wrap around his appendage in a secure lock, Tony slightly tilted his head for his temples to rest on the side of Steve’s broad shoulder.

                “I know.” Tony merely answered as he understood that Steve is determined to protect him from any harm, Steve formed a small smile and kissed the crest of Tony’s head to feel the rich shadowy tresses brush against his skin. They continued their journey with Tony still clinging on to Steve; he seemed frightened to return to the darkness and gloom of the madhouse, but he felt reassured that he has Steve as his defense. The two passed by the altar chamber and the room cluttered with sowing machines and other miscellaneous objects, they clambered up the staircase that exits out of Steve’s property. Soon they zigzag through the high boarded walls that seem like a maze, it was the same place where Tony encountered Dennis the first time, the Variant with a split personality. The weak lighting was flickering furiously, Tony could no longer cuddle Steve’s arm, but he curled his fingers around Steve’s big hand. Both of them sidled through narrow passages and avoided the splintered timber, they left the labyrinth behind to go inside an empty dwelling with the exception of a few tall metal scaffoldings propped up against the partition. Steve and Tony held hands with a steadier grip; they lifted their heads to cast their eyes above to study the outstretched wooden ceiling, they noticed a wide hole on it with pieces of lumber limping crookedly.

                “I fell through there.” Tony shared as he pointed at the substantial gap with his index finger. His memory was rushing back into his mind; he did recall that he did wander through the Prison Block when he was attempting to find a way out of the asylum. He climbed the broken steps and ladders within a lofty tower, Tony remembered jumping across to barely seize a weak plank, he failed miserably since the slat crumpled and forced him to plummet down from a great height and crash through this ceiling.

                “It is a miracle for you to have survived that.” Steve commented as he made a low whistle of the elevation and was impressed by Tony’s durability. Suddenly, Tony felt a pang on his stomach; he made a painful grunt and clawed his midriff, the action immediately alerted Steve who drew closer to his wife.

                “Tony, what’s wrong?”

                “Nothing, I think it’s just cramps.” Tony responded with a shudder as he breathed heavily, feeling the strange twinges ripple across his abdomen.

                “I should just take you home.” Steve resolved as his attractive face was pale with anxiety.

                “No, I’m okay. Please Steve, I really need to go outside, and I wanna be with you.”

                “Are you sure you’re up to this? It looks like you’re not well—“

                “I’ll be fine, and besides we’re almost there.”

                “All right then get on me, I’m taking us up.” Steve relented with hesitation as he jabbed his thumb behind him, Tony comprehended with a nod from his head. Steve’s knife was fashioned as a retractable device that he curled the blade inward, and placed it in the pocket of his jeans. Tony coiled his arms around Steve’s neck and hooked his legs on Steve’s waistline; Steve seized the hot undersides of Tony’s thighs to carry his wife in a piggy back style. Steve approached the metallic structures and began scampering upward hastily; he effortlessly scaled the intertwined rods as he could feel Tony bury his pretty visage against the feathery hairs on the nape of his neck. They soon reached the top of the roof from the fractured opening and Steve was still muddled with trepidation, Tony appears healthy, but he has been experiencing spontaneous contractions in his tummy and feeling a bit feeble. The couple stood on the ridge and Steve leaped over to land on the steel walkway of the ominous abandoned tower, Tony lifted his face and settled his chin on Steve’s left shoulder.

                “You’re quite the trooper.” Tony complimented as he was still amazed of Steve’s extraordinary prowess, he watched as they entered the open window of the giant tower to see some of the spiral steps damaged and rusty chains hanging from the precarious beams.

                “You’ve seen nothing yet.” Steve replied with an alluring half-smile as he bounced off of the dangerous edge to shoot straight down the throat of the tower, both of them felt the wind whip against their skin and blow through their fleecy locks of hair. The blond slammed against the concrete floor to create a few fissures, as Tony made a soft breath out of exhilaration since the drop made the adrenaline swim hurriedly in his veins. Steve continued their expedition with no sign of exhaustion; he did not seem fazed as they went out of the old door to go outside. They soon crossed over a bridge made out of boards; they looked to their right to see pipelines and a pool of murky water. The couple walked to the left to go through an open wired door, finding themselves in the Prison Block. They were able to perceive the cobble soil and the few tufts of grass through the white fog, Tony unraveled his limbs from Steve to stand on his own again.

                “It’s been awhile.” Tony simply said as he did not know how long it has been since he has been outside; he inhaled deeply and bends over to rip a piece of the green patch on the earth.

                “You know, I really like having you with me.” Steve mentioned as he planted his large palms on his waist, it was a positive change from his daily schedule to make certain trips in the asylum grounds to make threats towards the Variants.

                “Are you sure about that? So far you had to carry me like a backpack.”

                “I have no problem with that, I like it.”

                “You’re such a weirdo.” Tony replied fondly as he noticed how Steve’s gaze was glazed with yearning since Tony was rubbing the grass blade near his smiling ruddy lips.

                “You won’t be saying that for much longer when you see your husband make a bunch of Variants squirm.” Steve responded with a poisonous tenor as a familiar malicious smirk formed on his mouth, he snaked his long fingers to grip Tony’s wrist.

                “Umm, well, lead the way then.” Tony answered with a noisy gulp; he recognized that deadly expression on Steve’s countenance and he was aware that Steve seems resolved to further try to astound him with his fearsome power. Steve gently tugged Tony to pass by a couple of flat tables that seem to belong to a cafeteria and pieces of bench press equipment were scattered among the dirt. Tony was getting a bit nervous when he saw a few dead bodies of security guards spattered in their own blood and some of their flesh have been slit asunder. About three minutes later, they toured into a series of intricate passageways with tall fences and wire-mesh doors with their peaks interwoven with piercing barb wires. They traveled through the dense mist as the last rays of sunlight seemed smokier to make the day a bit overcast, Tony stayed close to Steve as they finally arrived to their destination. Steve twisted the knob of the fenced door and thrust it open for it slam against the brick wall, they entered a filthy basketball court, and Tony saw with distaste that a severed torso from a dead man was in the hoop basket. They walked over to stand in the middle and Tony pressed against Steve worriedly when he saw a collection of Variants surround them with mixed emotions of anger, sorrow, and fright.

                “I would like all of you to meet my wife, Tony.” Steve broadcasted proudly as he slung his arm around Tony and squeezed the side of his shoulder, a few murmurs of relief or annoyance spread among the group.

                “Finally got yourself a bride huh, making use of that place we helped ya build?” One of the Variants asked as the others were examining and marveling over the soft skin and features of Tony.

                “Of course, I say it was a fair deal, helping me finish the house faster in exchange for sparing your lives. I knew all of you would be of some use to me.”

                “So they helped you build our house?” Tony questioned as he discovered that Steve must have threatened these Variants of the Prison Block to construct their home so it can be completed early and ready for the coming of the bride.

                “Yes, my darling. When I was working on it, I realized I needed to speed up the process; I needed it done before your arrival.” Steve explained, he recruited Prison Block Variants on purpose because they are stronger than the ones in the other wards.

                “Ah well, thanks guys for doing a great job.” Tony commented as he nodded out of appreciation for assisting his husband to create a magnificent hideaway, they were engrossed by such gratitude that they shuffled a bit closer to Tony.

                “Your wife looks silky, so silky—“Another Variant complimented as he took a hold of the hem of Tony’s dress, Steve instantly reacted that he pulled out the folded knife from his pocket. He flicked it to have the serrated blade pop out and have its jagged teeth press against the Variant’s gullet.

                “No one is allowed to touch Tony; this little vixen belongs to me.” Steve warned with belligerence as he jerked Tony to have him against the solid bulk of his chest.

                “How do we know if your wife is not one of those doctors?” A half-naked Variant demanded, his body looked malnourished as he tightly held a decapitated head from a carcass in his bony hands. He was suspicious of Tony because he was not deformed or suffers some sort of unbearable itch.

                “I don’t have to explain anything to the likes of you. If you don’t remember your place, then I’ll make your head a new ball for the court.” Steve threated baring his fangs as he shoved the silver fin of the knife to burrow deeper to make a cut. The Variant immediately withdrew with his fingers touching the gash on his throat.

                “Just don’t kill us—“Another Variant spoke up as he and the others were quite frightened of Steve, they wished he never appeared again in the Prison Block.

                “If all are you smart, you will listen to me. You are all aware how much I hate disobedience. If any of you make the mistake of defying me, then I’ll just hang everyone in the Vocation Block.” Steve spat out with a demonic leer as the Variants cowered of the thought of being strangled by cables and become part of those naked corpses that are suspended in Steve’s territory.

While Steve was scaring the Variants, he did not notice that his wife Tony slipped away from his possessive grip because the brunette heard a strange sound. He quietly approached the wired fence with a solemn expression, seeing the cool fog and blurry figures. His fingers curled around the thin metal loops of the barricade, trying see if he can distinguish the mysterious silhouettes.

                “He looks nervous.” A cold deadpan voice said within the dense haze, Tony felt his eyes dart around anxiously to find its true source.

                “I would like to kill him.” A second similar set of vocals spoke up with a bizarre tranquility; Tony began to unravel his hands from the metallic structure of the fence, he took one step back.

                “As would I.”

Suddenly, Tony screamed with fraught and he tumbled on his backside, he saw on the other side of the steel divider were two middle age men in the nude carrying sharp iron machetes. The muscular males are twins and covered with streaks of filth, the taller one was completely bald and the shorter brother has black cropped hair. Steve instantly detected the high pitch shriek that he disregarded the Variants and quickly crossed over to pick Tony up; the startled brunette was back on his feet and Steve glared at the intimidating duo.

                “You two shouldn’t be here, this is my turf.” Steve said with a harsh growl, with one hand wrapped around Tony’s waist and the other tightly held the shimmering carving knife that is stained with Variant blood.

                “It belongs to us. You cannot claim this place as yours.” The taller twin answered as he and his brother were facing the couple with an eerie but calm manner.

                “Unless ‘The Groom’ is willing to make a trade.” The other sibling mentioned dangerously.

                “You may have the Prison Block, but in exchange for your companion.”

                “What—!” Tony piped with shock as he could feel Steve’s fingernails dig harder into his hip joints.

                “No deal, now get the hell out of my sight!” Steve hollered angrily as his emotions were ignited by the twins’ idea of compromise, he wouldn’t give away his wife for anything.

                “I want his tongue and liver.” The bald twin simply said as both of them were tempted to murder Tony.

                “They are yours.” His shorter brother responded as they nonchalantly walked towards the entrance of the basketball court.

The Variants yowled in distress as they ran around within the space of the horrible circumstance of having three powerful asylum patients in their presence.

                “Tony, head back to the Vocation Block!” Steve ordered as he pushed Tony towards a second exit of the basketball court.

                “Aren’t you coming?”

                “I’ll try to catch up as soon as I can. I’ll keep them distracted, just get away from here!”

                “But Steve, I—“

                “Go now!” Steve commanded with a no-nonsense voice as Tony had no other option, he ran pass a few Variants who were shaken by the disorder that they attempted to reach over to seize Tony. However, Tony scrunched up a furious fist and threw it across a Variant who snatched his left wrist, his piercing knuckles collided against the grotesque male’s mouth to make a few rivulets of blood splay out and a couple of yellow teeth tumbled on the concrete. The Variant clasped over his injury with a wail as Tony scurried away to go through a narrow pathway, he took one last look at his husband who slashed a few Variants and made a brutal uppercut at the bald twin. Tony did not know if Steve is strong enough to overcome the fearsome brothers, but he hoped that he’ll be safe. The brunette encountered a steel ladder leaning on the side of a building’s wall; he swiftly climbed it to reach higher ground. He was on a small roof; he circled around on top of it to jump through a reasonable hole that was on another line of barbed wire fences. Before Tony proceeded to the lengthy passageway, he noticed an inconspicuous office that was in the far left; he opened the door to see a bland room with only a semi-circular table and two wooden chairs. Tony immediately grabbed the suspicious blue folder with red letters stamped on its front: _Confidential_. He flipped it open to see the title of the report, which was _The Walrider Delusion_ ; it took a moment to scan an email between two staff workers in the Von Doom Corporation:

 

From: j. [billings@vondoomcorp.us.com](mailto:billings@vondoomcorp.us.com)

To: k. [vigalando@vondoomcorp.us.com](mailto:vigalando@vondoomcorp.us.com)

Subject: re: Patient “Samul”

 

Kurt, we’ve got another one, and I’m not sure you’re gonna be able to check it off as “Psychopathic Proximity Disorder.”

Security guard all the way up in the Admin. Block is our latest non-patient employee to start seeing Wernicke’s fairy tales. He was never directly exposed to the Engine, never even made it below level 1 in the building. It would be an enormous breach of protocol and security if doctors were speaking of the Walrider within hearing of a contracted security guard. And it seems vanishingly improbable that he would stumble onto such an obscure mythological story on his own.

It’s too similar to the Dr. Samul case, or the others before him. It’s one thing for formally sane medical personnel to fall under the delusions of their patients. It’s another thing entirely for those beliefs to be…I don’t know. Airborne. We need to talk in person.

 

Billings (End of email report)

 

 

                Tony finished the report and slapped it back down on the surface of the countertop with a mad huff, it was just more secrets for him to unveil, he was still dumbstruck of how well the company kept him ignorant from alarming problems. He left the diminutive chamber to jog down the metallic trail; it bothered him that the message between the corporation’s staff members confirmed how that even the physicians were becoming insane like the Variants though they never once have been tested with the Morphogenic Engine. However, what made Tony’s stomach churn with sickening waves was the mention of Dr. Wernicke. He never met the man personally, but supposedly he heard the rumors that Wernicke wanted Victor Von Doom to hire him because he showed much potential, he must of needed Tony to perfect the Morphogenic Engine. Wernicke was contracted by the Von Doom Corporation decades ago to help with experiments concerning human nanotechnology, he is the main scientist of the Walrider Project. When Tony applied to be a software engineer ten years ago, he recalled how proud and enthusiastic he was when he heard that he was hired, he wasn’t able to refuse one of the world’s most brilliant researchers. Tony never once saw him; he had to learn the Morphogenic Engine program from Wernicke’s close associates who served as communicators between the two of them. He shook his head dejectedly to cast away those memories he once treasured, he soon found another ladder and scampered upward to end up on the peak of a bigger building. Tony peeked around a rough façade and he was a bit jittery when he saw one Variant standing in front of the railings of the roof, he could not tell if the patient was friendly or not. He made a small gulp and mustered his courage; he cautiously approached the quiet fellow and wordlessly parked himself next to the Variant.

                “Don’t trust them. They’ll tell you it’s science but it’s not.” The mystifying Variant spoke up as he had his arms crossed while his dark eyes did not glimpse over to look at his guest. He was wearing the usual tan and brown inmate clothes that patients would have to put on.

                “The Morphogenic Engine, that’s what you’re talking about, right?” Tony said as he felt a little less apprehensive, he folded his hands together and figured out that the Variant does not want him to place his faith on the doctors.

                “They were…waiting for us. In this place. Billy understood.” The calm Variant continued his speech with his soothing voice that would sometimes choke up out of frustration and sadness, he clutched the banister intensely.

                “Billy, where is—“Tony wanted to ask if the Variant had any idea where Wernicke and the other researchers have concealed him.

                “You can’t hide!” The Variant warned as he wasn’t carrying the conversation correctly with Tony since he mostly ignored his inquiries and statements. He must have a bit of insanity, but he is the rare amount of patients that are not misshapen in their appearance. Despite the dark rings under the Variants eyes and his sunken cheeks, he seemed normal.

Tony thought he should leave the Variant alone since he was not going to receive any more information from him, but he was relieved that he at least met a somewhat decent patient. He resumed back to his journey because he desperately desired to reunite with Steve again, he explored the area until he found a door which he swung open. Tony became concerned when he saw at the end of the hall a half-naked Variant run pass a blood smeared wall. There was nowhere else to go so Tony ventured inside the structure; he untied the filament around his waistline to have his trusty camcorder on his right hand, thankful that he brought it along. He pattered up to a slightly open door that is blockaded with two fallen file cabinets with a dead security guard near it. Tony peered inside of it to hear a nonstop chorus of painful screeches; he saw shadows of two Variants, the one standing was beating and kicking ruthlessly on the one that is curled up on the floor. He was only able to view their silhouettes but it compelled him to quickly move away from the spectacle, he walked passed a headless body as he listened to the annoying chime of an ongoing siren. Tony made a left turn to see two gray doors, he slightly jolted when he saw a random man that was coated by the darkness hurriedly go inside the room on the right, and Tony sighed heavily as he circled around a wheelchair. He decided not to follow the stranger, he chose the door straight ahead to leave the dim lighted hallways. Soon he flicked the night vision on his video camera recorder since the region was pitch black; he was able to see a few white boards and oak shelves. Tony crossed over to the adjacent room, it was aligned with computers and showing images from security footage. However, he gasped since he saw a short-wave radio smashed up and in fragments on the linoleum.

                “I’ve been here before.” Tony softly muttered as he almost forgot that this is where his formal boss destroyed the piece of equipment. Tony held up his camcorder again to go back into the darkness where he recalled his superior being attacked by Chris Walker; he knew he was heading for the right direction because this will eventually lead him to the Vocation Block like the first time. The brunette was uneasy when he left to go into another corridor with poor lighting and with more slaughtered security guards and pools of dark blood. As he traveled and clambered over a rickety old table, he found another door and stepped inside, he was relying on his memory to get back to the Groom’s territory. Instinctively, he clicked the night vision on again to find himself wander in a storage place with lofty metal shelves holding cardboard boxes and plastic bins, his heels pounded gently against the black-and-white tile floor. Tony then heard the jangle of rusty chains, it forced him to crouch behind a metallic casing, he focused his camcorder to have its lens prop in between two containers. His heart rate instantly sped up when he saw Chris Walker clop inside; he made a few gruff noises and was lugging his fat head back and forth. Tony began cursing wildly in his mind as he did not expect the ex-military officer to still be present in the Administration Block; he started crawling on his knees to head for the opposite doorway where he saw a few remnants of yellow light. He hastily hid himself behind the mantelshelf that was right near the entrance that led to another messy hallway; he clamped his sleeved hand over his mouth when he saw Walker’s legs brush pass his hiding spot.

                “I hear a little rat…” Walker hissed with loathing as he roamed away, it annoyed him that he detected movement just a minute ago and now his target is out of sight. Tony took the chance to go around the sill and silently went out squatted low; he was back in another hall and he swung his body sideways to go over a desk that was blocking the path. He hurriedly flashed past a locked gated door on his right with a malformed Variant on the other end, gripping and shaking it viciously. Tony then squeezed in between the thin space of bedsteads and mattresses that were upright, he was comforted of the idea that Walker is too big to fit through the small opening. He wedged out of it and soon walked on to go into a darker room with the alarm still buzzing overhead, there was a lone white light that shone on a single door where a body was mashed against the wall that was splattered with lines of wine red blood. Tony did not go over there since it wasn’t the right way to the Vocation Block; he instead went further in the obscurity with one of his fawn brown eyes peeking into the lens. He veered to the right when he saw a rusty wired door to go into an extremely short passageway, Tony saw a large hole on the ground, and he jumped down into the gap to go to the level below. Tony heard his feet strike against the concrete, he rose and headed towards the right where he saw an open door with a red blaring sign with the word ‘exit’ over it. He soon entered another zone where he passed by a glass window, he could see a simple office behind it, and he circled around to access it, he went inside the supply closet that was close by. Tony checked the petite room with his video camera recorder still on night vision mode; he discovered a table and found a battery on its surface. He snatched it and went ahead to replenish his camcorder’s power supply, Tony was glad he made the tiny detour to gain a battery. Tony left the closet to start trudging through a corridor that was completely swallowed by shadows, he held his camcorder steady. He pass by a broken elevator with its sliding doors sealed shut; he plodded through the hall to see that he was approaching an open door.

Suddenly, he felt petrified and his bloodstream felt icy cold when he heard the familiar rattling of shackles and impatient grumblings, he turned slightly to look into his video camera recorder. Tony panicked when he saw it was Chris Walker running towards him, Tony sprinted away from the buff ex-military officer, he would make sharp turns to make Walker constantly crash against the walls by his massive weight. _Damn it, I forgot_ _how fast this fatty is!_ Tony thought bitterly as he could see Walker getting closer to him, Tony leaped over a gurney and shot down the long hallway in a maddening pace. The frightened brunette could hear Walker snarl and insult him by calling him a ‘little pig’, he sprung over an overturned bed and pushed a few wheelchairs away. Tony knew Walker was inches behind him that he felt his heart sank when he saw that he was headed for a dead end because the road was barred with splintered boards and shelves. However, he looked to his right to see an open window, when Walker made a swipe to grapple him by his midriff; Tony pounced out of the window exactly when he felt the tips of Walker’s thick fingers scrapped against the fabric of his gown. Tony managed to escape from Walker for the second time, he realized that he made it outside; he huffed with a distempered breath as he dropped down to land on a low sloping roof. Then he bounced off of the ridge and was finally on ground level, he was finally out of the Administration building.

Tony walked into one of the courtyards of the asylum, it was nighttime and a breeze blew for the large trees to sway into a musical dance. He was grateful that he could relax a little; he heard grass blades scrunch underneath his heels as he continued to look through his camcorder. Tony began to ponder if Steve was doing all right, he missed his husband. He looked down at his shoes and noted how he almost crushed a few dandelions; Tony paused for a moment to kneel down in front of the yellow weeds. Tony ripped out the leaves of the dandelions and stared at them, studying their arrow shaped heads and spiky flanks. All day in the corner of his mind, he has been thinking about his sudden belly aches, nausea, and tiredness. He was starting to feel that the only logical explanation would be that he is pregnant with Steve’s baby, it seems to add up by his peculiar symptoms and the timespan after he and Steve had sex. Tony was not a hundred percent certain, but these dandelion leaves will help confirm his suspicions. Dandelion leaves make a good homemade pregnancy check, since Tony assumes that there are not going to be any random pregnancy sticks in this madhouse, using these plants will be the next best thing.

Tony went back on his feet and stuffed the leaves in one of the cups of his bra, he snorted of how he finally found use for it. He strolled through the region to see bare branches and he soon saw a fenced door that was surging with blue-white volts of electricity, he remembered that there was a generator room to deactivate this defense mechanism. Tony began to scout the area and a few minutes later he went down a few stone steps, he located the desired chamber which was underground and he jogged inside to see the granite walls, light blue lockers in rows, and the sound of pipes whistling out puffs of steam. However, as he headed into the short corridor, he heard a few moans and raspy breaths; he took a second to look at the right side to view behind the wire door, seeing about three carcasses of security guards sprawled on the bloody floor. The image was more disturbing when he saw a Variant with his back towards Tony; his entire arm was moving in a rapid slanted motion.

                “Come on…mhh…come on…yeah, come to daddy…” The Variant stuttered out in between his jagged exhales, Tony twisted a repugnant expression when he realized that the insane patient was masturbating over the slain corpses. Tony quickly moved on to avoid the disgusting scene; he soon saw what it appeared to be a fuse box, seeing its green light to signify that the electrical currents were still flowing. He pulled down its lever to see the light change to red, he was happy to know that he cut the electric power of the outside fence. Tony spun around and felt a violent fist attack his jaw, it caused him to stumble and slam against the power system, and he felt warm blood ooze down the corner of his mouth.

                “I want to share something with you.” It wasn’t the Variant that he saw jacking off earlier, but it was a different one with an ill-temper. He tried to assault Tony again, but Tony evaded the blow for the Variant to hit against the metallic containers. Tony swiftly ran away and went up the steps to return to the outside, he glanced behind him and saw that the Variant was chasing him; Tony hurriedly flung open the fence door that was no longer swarming with sparks of voltage and closed it behind him. He was too afraid to look back that he circled a building and found its entrance that was opened by a crack. Tony went inside and banged the door closed; he slumped against it and pressed his left hand against his heaving bosom.

                “Still alive, somehow.” Tony uttered as he wiped the streak of blood away with the sleeve of his dark dress, he was aware that he still had to continue. He decided to go to the left, he was thankful he can walk again as he crossed over the iron platform walkway in between the brick facades. Tony saw the weak fluorescent bar of light on the ceiling and hearing the echo of his heels clunking against the metallic floor. Suddenly, Tony felt his own vision become blurry and he felt like he was drowning in a trance, he felt a gust of frigid air nip his entire backside, he grunted in agony when he saw flashes of yellow and orange colors. He heard a shuddering howl and glimpsed behind to see the environment start to blacken.

                “Walrider.” Tony acknowledged with dread as he could sense the malicious entity nearby, he ran again to reach the door at the end of the passageway. He was not sure if the Walrider was following him, but the apparition’s essence suddenly vanished. Tony found another door which he instantly thrust open; he saw it was an exit out of the building.

Tony saw he was back outside, but he gave out a joyful cry when he recognized this particular place, just ahead was the water tower in which he and Steve were in the beginning where his husband was carrying him. He was getting closer to the Vocation Block; he did not have another path to go, so he slid down the dirt to splash into the murky pool of water. Tony felt the water reach just around his abdomen, he trekked through with his camcorder held up with night vision on, and he looked to the left to see those giant pipe lines again. He soon found a ladder and climbed up with the lower half of his body soaked with the dirty fluid to stand on a platform, Tony then crossed over the boarded walkway to go straight for the ominous tower. Tony peered behind him and was alarmed when he saw the Variant who punched him from the generator room was pursuing him again. He raced off of the planks and dashed into the entry of the lofty structure; he pushed the door open and attempted to go straight to the spiral staircase. However, the Variant found rope on a fragmented beam on the ground, he slipped it off of the disjointed timber and whipped it over his head once and flicked it towards Tony’s direction. The rope fell to coil around Tony’s neck and it tightened around fiercely, Tony immediately dropped his camcorder for it to skid on the floor. Tony made a loud gasp as he gripped the rope that burned his skin; he crashed down on his kneecaps in front of the first step of the stairs and felt it clog his wind pipe. _I can’t breathe, I don’t think I can get out this one…_ Tony thought as he began to make gagging noises and felt his eyeballs start to roll into the back of his sockets, it was hopeless until he felt the noose become loose and hang from his bruised throat. He started to hear the strident sounds of suffocation; he took off the rope and stared at an extraordinary display. Tony saw it was Steve Rogers choking the Variant with a chain that he must have swiped from the shattered debris of this water tower.

                “You’re a dead man for going after Tony. You should have stayed away!” Steve hissed with clenched teeth near the Variant’s ear, he gave the chain a final tug making it squeeze the Variant’s esophagus and causing him to die. Steve flared his nostrils like a provoked animal and threw down the chain on top of the corpse that lay on the concrete; he looked up to see his poor wife collapse against the steps of the staircase. Tony was on his side as he grasped the rail for support, he noticed how a few strips of moonlight seeped into the tower and flooded the area with a ghostly light, and his quivering hand took a hold of his video camera recorder. Steve hurried over to him; he went on his knees and embraced Tony.

                “I thought I was too late—“Steve began as he kissed Tony’s temples out of relief, for the whole time he was anxious about Tony’s well-being, he was honestly scared of the mere idea of Tony being in constant danger and possibly getting killed.

                “No, you came in the nick of time.” Tony interjected gently as he closed his eyes that were a bit watery; he rubbed his pretty visage against Steve’s broad shoulder out of gratitude, he felt safe again and was amazed that Steve has saved his life again.

                “I was worried since you weren’t feeling well earlier today.”

                “Umm, I think I know why I was feeling that way.” Tony replied to slightly change the subject since he did not want to talk about another near death experience. He examined Steve’s face and saw a long laceration that was from the bridge of his angular nose and it ended close to the node of his chiseled jawline, a bit of tomato red blood spilled from it. Tony could only conclude that Steve must of have gotten the wound from one of the twins, but it was impressive that Steve managed to escape with a single injury from the unfair fight.

                “Well, what is it?”

                “Steve, I might be pregnant.” Tony shared as he carefully observed how his husband’s handsome mien was bright with a sudden bliss, his crystal blue eyes glimmered and widened.

                “You are?! Is it true?!” Steve exclaimed ecstatically as he touched Tony’s stomach with a cheerful smile on his comely lips.

                “I don’t know, but I’m sure we’ll find out once I pee on these.” Tony explained as he dug into one of the cups of his bra and pulled out a few dandelion leaves.

                “Then let’s go home.”

 

The married couple returned to their safe house with Steve carrying Tony bridal style for the rest of the trip back, Steve managed to reveal to Tony that he was able to divert the twins, but he avoided engaging in battle with them. He clarified that he only wanted to keep them from hunting down Tony so he can catch up with him, unfortunately one of the brothers did slash him across the face during the showdown. So it meant that the brothers were still alive and still roving around the asylum. Steve and Tony were waiting in the Victorian parlor, keeping their eyes on the table with a paper towel that held the dandelion leaves that were wet and glossy from Tony’s urine. Tony placed his camcorder back in the cubby of the hickory drawer. They had to wait for approximately ten minutes; if they see any red dots appear on the green surfaces then it means the pregnancy test will come out as a positive. When the final seconds finally evaporated, Steve stopped pacing around like a restless lion and joined Tony’s side to examine the parts of the plant; both of them saw the red bumps on the leaves.

                “Oh my god, I’m pregnant.” Tony concluded as he was stunned that his hypothesis was correct, Steve made a rowdy crow and instantly lifted up his wife out of pure merriment.

                “I can’t believe it! We’re going to have a baby!” Steve shouted out with glee as he looked up at Tony who settled his hands on his shoulders and made a sweet smile on his strawberry red lips.

                “Yeah, we are.” Tony said with a laugh as he was thrilled by Steve’s eagerness, he was delicately placed back down on his feet.

                “Thank you Tony for this gift.” Steve said with joviality as he kneeled in front of his wife, he made a heartening smooch on Tony’s belly and then circled his fingers around Tony’s navel.

                “So, how does it feel that you’re gonna be a daddy?” Tony questioned purposely as he kindly ruffled through the feathery tufts of Steve’s golden hair.

                “It’s indescribable!” Steve answered with a jubilant grin as Tony bent halfway forward a bit to kiss the crest of Steve’s forehead.

                “Well, aren’t you cute when you’re overly excited…” Tony chuckled as he straightened his posture and felt Steve wrap his appendages around his hips and perched his temples on Tony’s tummy with his smile lingering. Tony ran his fingers through the downy light tresses on the back of Steve’s head, he felt content of the pregnancy and the thought that he was making all of Steve’s dreams become a reality. _Steve and I are gonna be parents to this little bundle of joy; we’re gonna be a family_ …


	8. This Is Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is time for a baby to come into the lives of Steve and Tony!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for keeping you guys waiting! I hope you enjoy this!

        It was approximately the eighth month of Tony’s pregnancy and he was ready to pop the baby out of his body. It was the middle of a breezy afternoon and he was practicing his daily breathing exercises with Steve to prepare for the birth in a couple more weeks. Tony was wearing a light blue buttoned dress that reached his ankles and with spaghetti straps on his dainty shoulders. He sat on the fine carpet in front of the massive bed. Steve was embracing his entire backside for his strong upper torso to press against Tony, and he settled his large palms on his wife’s big belly, gently stroking it. He leaned in to have him and Tony touch cheek-to-cheek, every day they perform this activity so Tony will be able to get through the labor process easier.

                “Just a few more times, Tony.” Steve directed benevolently as he felt Tony clasp his hands over his for both of the parents to hug the unborn infant. Tony nodded and made weighty breaths, keeping a rhythmic pattern, he sometimes found himself laughing because he found this event to be silly, but nevertheless it was going to help him.

                “Can we stop? The baby is getting hungry again.” Tony mentioned with a windy sigh as he could not fathom of the large quantities of food he has been consuming during these months.

                “All right, let’s get our little one fed.” Steve concluded as he assisted his wife, Tony struggled to get up as he had one hand on his bulging tummy and other was on his sore lower back.

                “Ugh, I’m such a fat tub of lard!” Tony complained as he allowed Steve to lead him to the kitchen, lately he cannot stop eating and he has become sensitive about the weight gain from the pregnancy.

                “Don’t say that, you’re carrying my child. You’re not fat.”

                “Correction, since I’m carrying this baby, it should be mine, not yours.”

                “Well, I did help you make the baby.” Steve pointed out the obvious truth as he carefully settled Tony down on a chair in front of the kitchen table.

                “Thanks to you my figure is ruined, I use to be so attractive. Now I look like a slob.” Tony whined as he sulked, Steve shook his head with a chuckle.

                “You look amazing, my darling. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Steve replied as he gave a quick peck on Tony’s lips with a radiant smile.

                “Really? So would have sex with me looking like this?”

                “Of course… so does that mean you want to do it? If you want sex so badly then I’ll gladly take you back to our bed. I promise to be extra nice—“

                “No Steve, I don’t wanna have sex, I was curious if you would still bang me even though I look like a whale.”

                “You know I would, I’ll take you to the other room and prove it if you like.”

                “Aren’t you forgetting, there is a baby inside of me.”

                “You can still have sex when you’re pregnant. Supposedly I heard that it’s more pleasurable, not to mention that you’ll be excreting extra moisture.” Steve said as the notion appealed to him that Tony will produce more discharge in sexual activities during his pregnancy.

                “Hate to tell you this, but I’m not in the mood. Besides, having sex and being pregnant doesn’t sound fun to me, it sounds nauseating instead.” Tony explained as it was normal for him want to abstain sex since it becomes undesirable during pregnancy.

                “I understand, my darling. It was just an offer.” Steve said as his smirk did not fade away from his handsome mien.

Tony watched Steve go over to wash a couple of different vegetables and slice each one on a board, the brunette sighed with exhaustion, he sometimes forgets that he is actually in great shape in his pregnancy. He just wanted to get the birth over with since he was sick of the eccentric cravings, one time he actually mixed up a bunch of anchovies with a jar of peanut butter. Steve dumped all the cut veggies into the hot skillet to let the contents sizzle and skate around; he is only able to cook a few dishes since Tony is usually the one in the kitchen preparing the food. However, Tony has noticed that Steve has been pampering him excessively during the pregnancy, he won’t allow Tony to perform the simplest tasks since he desires for Tony to be happy and the baby to be healthy. As Steve was adding soften noodles into the pan and shaking a few spices into it, Tony looked at the table and saw a few medical tools such as forceps, a scalpel, etc.

                “Steve, where did you get these?” Tony spoke up as Steve looked at him, Tony gestured towards the equipment.

                “In the labs and supply closets from the asylum. I’m just making sure to be ready when the baby comes.”

                “Oh I see, you’re going to be my doctor aren’t you?”

                “I’ll try my best since I don’t think there are any physicians left in this place.” Steve answered as he stirred the mixed veggies and the glazed noodles to fry nicely, letting a pleasing aroma spread.

                “Some may have been killed by the Variants and the others may have evacuated from the asylum.”

                “That’s why I will not only be your husband, but your doctor as well.”

                “Wonder how that’s gonna turn out.” Tony mentioned as he propped his left elbow on the table and his hand gently rubbed his belly.

                “We’ll see in a couple of weeks.” Steve said as he poured the cooked noodles and vegetables onto a big plate, he took out a salad bowl from the refrigerator that was filled with lettuce and sliced tomatoes. He set both of the dishes in front of Tony and went ahead to start massaging Tony’s shoulders.

                “Hope you’re ready for me to beat the crap out of you when the baby comes out of me.” Tony warned as he began eating his eighth lunch today.

                “Oh I’m ready for anything, even if it means getting insulted or slapped by you.” Steve laughed a bit as he pressed his fingers deeper into Tony’s skin to alleviate any tension or stress.

                “Good for you.”

                “I just remembered, after you’re done eating, I want to show you the baby’s room.”

                “You finally finished it?!” Tony replied with excitement, Steve has been working on this project for about three months and he wouldn’t allow Tony to take a peek in it.

                “Yes, my darling, and I think you might like the results.”

 

Tony leaned on his husband with their arms intertwined together; Steve twisted the golden knob of the door and opened it for them to enter inside the finished room. Tony made a gasp of the enchanting atmosphere; the caramel walls were designed with bright colors and painted with images of adorable jungle animals. There were a few hand crafted mantel shelves and oak drawers, including a medium size cradle made out of pure ebony with an engraved headboard and clean light blue sheets. In the corner was a wooden rocking horse with a reddish yarn mane and the boarded floors were covered with fluffy vanilla rugs. Tony slowly twirled around to study the entire layout of the nursery; he made a happy cry and flung his arms around Steve’s neck.

                “Oh my god, Steve! It’s perfect!” Tony crowed joyfully as he popped a few affectionate kisses on Steve’s mouth, his husband welcomed them eagerly and grinned between their amorous lips.

                “I’m glad you like it.” Steve responded with a light-hearted laugh as he guided his wife to sit on the butternut colored rocking chair that was parked near the crib. Tony eased into it in an unhurried pace, resting his arms on the smooth steads and swayed on it in a soothing motion.

                “You really outdid yourself.” Tony mentioned as he watched how Steve kneeled down in front him.

                “This is my first child after all; I want it to have a good room.” Steve replied as he perched his large hands on top of Tony’s lap.

                “I’m so tired calling our baby an ‘it’.”

                “Unfortunately, we won’t know if it’s a boy or a girl until the birth.”

                “Steve, what do you want, a boy or a girl?”

                “Hmm, it doesn’t matter for me, as long as he or she is healthy.”

                “Oh! Quick, the baby is kicking again!” Tony said with giddiness as he grabbed both of Steve’s large hands and planted them on the center of his round belly. Steve felt a tiny thump against one of his palms, his smile stretched so far that he exposed his bleached white teeth.

                “Our little one has so much energy.” Steve whispered softly with his full lips near Tony’s bulging stomach, he circled his fingers around the spot. He always wanted to feel the baby’s kicks; every moment was precious to him.

                “Looks like the baby can’t wait to come out.” Tony answered as he blushed into a cherry pink when his husband began pressing multiple smooches on the pudgy tummy.

                “I’m going to finally be a dad…it feels so unreal.” Steve spoke up as he laid his head on Tony for his ear to touch the surface of his wife’s plump stomach, he closed his sea blue eyes with a tender sigh.

                “Its real honey, it’s very real.” Tony encouraged as he lowered his fawn brown eyes sweetly, he kindly ran his fingers through the golden locks of Steve’s hair. Steve felt a sense of serenity as nothing matter in the world except Tony and their baby.

 

On the ninth month, it was ten thirty-nine in the morning, Tony stood in front of the bathroom sink with one hand gripping the rim and the other holding onto his aching back. He felt this strange twinge, it did not disappear but it continued to grow. When Tony tried to make a deep exhale, he heard the sound of a pop below; he looked down and immediately panicked when he saw a gush of clear fluid splatter on the linoleum. _That’s not urine…!_ Tony formulated the single thought as he felt the transparent liquid trickle down his legs and an enormous pressure burn his entire shivering body. He made a sharp yelp and hugged his paunchy belly.

                “STEVE!” Tony managed to yell out with desperation, in less than five seconds, the door flung open to see his husband rush to him with an anxious expression.

                “My darling, what’s wrong?!” Steve questioned with worriment as he embraced Tony’s backside and settled his protective hands upon his wife’s hips.

                “My water just broke—oh god! “

                “Let’s get you to bed.” Steve responded with tranquility but internally he was overly enthusiastic, thinking that his child is finally arriving, he directed Tony through the Victorian parlor. Tony’s breathing rate sped up in a rapid tempo; he made a few pitiful whimpers since the contractions were getting stronger.

Then Tony grappled on one of the posts of the huge bed while Steve hurriedly took out a stack of unused towels from the closet. Steve flapped the dark fabrics on top of the unsoiled sheets since the childbirth was going to get messy; he carefully took Tony by the arm and gently laid him on the mattress.

                “It hurts! I can hardly breathe!” Tony said in terror as he felt Steve slip a few fat pillows underneath him to make his back arch.

                “Take deep breaths and keep your legs open.” Steve advised as coolly as possible, he took a hold of Tony’s kneecaps and spread his wife’s salacious legs wide apart; he slipped Tony’s sky blue dress down to force the long skirt to bundle around the hip joints.

                “No! That’s the reason why I’m like this in the first place!” Tony yowled with a penetrating note.

                “Just calm down—“

                “I hate when you say that!”

                “Don’t you worry; I’ll take care of this.” Steve attempted to make more positive reinforcement as he was content that he was able to move the medical supplies from the kitchen to a close proximity. He jerked open the bottom cubby of the drawer that was near their bedstead and dumped all the equipment necessary on top of the bed.

                “Where the hell are the drugs?!” Tony demanded angrily as he clutched Steve by the front of his light blue buttoned shirt.

                “Tony, we agreed that we wanted a natural birth—“

                “Natural birth my ass! You’re not the one who has to do this!”

                “We made a promise, and we’re both going to keep it.” Steve concluded as he pried Tony’s furious fist from his scrunched shirt and removed the soaked underwear from Tony and tossed it aside to land on the carpet.

                “I’ll never let you have me again! I’ll cross my legs forever and make you suffer abstinence!”

                “Crossing your legs, is that really—”

                “That’s right; you’re not getting any of me!”

                “Well, if I can’t screw you on the front then I’ll just do it on the back. Your legs may not welcome me, but your butt sure does.” Steve retorted with a small smile as he couldn’t resist but utter a few chuckles when he noticed how Tony stared at him with a shocked expression. Tony almost forgot his agony for a few minutes because of Steve’s statement. Steve obviously won their banter since Tony won’t ever refuse his husband’s cock from entering his butthole since he loves it so much.

                “You nasty son of a—!” Tony was about to curse but another wave of anguish pounded his body to make him shout out in a piercing tenor.

                “I love you too, my darling.” Steve replied with a reassuring beam as he did not pay any attention to Tony’s insults or fury since it’s all part of the labor process.

About ten hours have passed by, the cold shadows of night cloaked the asylum; Tony was screaming nonstop with strident shrills vibrating from his dry throat. He felt like he was in the brink of death as he tried to breathe correctly like in the exercises that he and Steve have been practicing for months, the labor dragged on making if feel like an eternity. Tony felt the skinny straps of his light blue gown fall loosely on the sides of his porcelain white shoulders; he quaked fiercely with dews of perspiration crawling down every line and tightened muscle. He could not fathom that he has been stuck in the same position with unbearable pain attacking him in a consistent manner. Steve kneeled in front of Tony’s naked legs, he finished with the surgical portion by cutting a reasonable gap for the baby to exit from the womb, and now all Tony has to do is shove the infant out. He moved a basin of water that he retrieved earlier away from Tony’s kicking feet; he dipped the blood stained blade into the bowl to clean it.

                “Oh god!! Make it stop, I can’t take it!” Tony bellowed out in a scratchy voice since he has been shouting so loudly to damage his vocal cords. Steve offered his hand to Tony again, earlier when he did this; Tony slapped him across the face in rejection. Luckily, the ugly red mark that bloomed on his cheek vanished a while ago. However, this time, Tony snatched up Steve’s big hand accepting it and began squeezing it intensely, hearing a few crackles. Steve’s fair skin was turning beet red from his wife’s remarkable strength.

                “Wow, you’re very strong.” Steve commented as Tony yapped noisily and compressed his clutch harder to hear a few more snaps from Steve’s finger bones.

                “I can’t do this! I can’t Steve—“Tony huffed heavily as he was exhausted, he expelled so much of his vigor that he wanted to give up.

                “Yes you can, just a few more pushes! Come on, Tony. I know you can do this!” Steve said as he noted how Tony was close to finishing because he was able to see the scalp of the baby’s head.

                “I hate you so much right now! You’re a real piece of sh—god!” Tony was once again interrupted from cussing as he desperately sucked in oxygen to refill his choking lungs.

                “I can see the baby coming, push, my darling!”

Steve seized both of Tony’s shins as his wife made more painful grunts; Tony let out puffs of air and shifted his pelvis downward to thrust the baby out in a gradual pace through the birth canal. Tony screeched in an ear-splitting pitch, his body jolted a few times of the torment from the contractions. His russet brown eyes creased to make his vision blurry with a flood of crystal tears skate down his heated cheeks, he has been crying fiercely the whole time. Tony’s chest cavity was rising and falling swiftly; he slammed his arms on his sides and clutched the matted towels to create thick wrinkles on them. Steve continued to order Tony to keep pushing as he watched the graphic image of the baby sliding out of the bloody tissues and skin.

                “The head is crowning!” Steve announced as he made a fast glance upward at his wife, the good news made Tony feel better and it granted him a few more ounces of vitality. Tony screwed his eyes shut and sat up a bit; he unleashed a shuddering boisterous wail.

                “Damn it Steve! Get it out of me!” Tony howled as he was able to reach over and punch Steve on his left shoulder with his pale knuckles, it didn’t faze his husband who was concentrated on the baby.

                “This is it Tony, just one more push.” Steve said as Tony nodded tiredly with weighty huffs. Tony forced out a final shove that made him squeal in a deafening way, going over the limits of his crushed diaphragm and making his esophagus enflamed with aridity and distress. Tony’s chocolate brown hair was in disarray and damp for a few wisps to stick on the crest of his forehead, beads of sweat swam down the hollow pathway of his cleavage. Steve courageously reached in for his calloused hands to be marred with a blend of crimson blood and a white creamy substance called ‘vernix’ that coated the delicate skin of the infant that Steve was hauling out.

Suddenly, the married couple heard the miraculous whimpering of a newborn ring out, Tony immediately felt his battered body limp in exhaustion and relief. Tony exhaled profoundly as he observed how Steve took out a crying baby from between his legs, Tony swallowed to feel the itchiness in his gullet. Steve used two clamps to attach on the umbilical cord and made an incision with a pair of forceps to snip it off, he mopped off the ruby red fluid and the other bodily liquids of the tiny creature with a moist dishrag. He also wiped away the dirty contents from his hands.

                “Tony, we have a boy.” Steve declared with happiness as he wrapped the squirming infant in a series of warm blankets, Tony was speechless with his right hand pressed against his own heaving bosom, but his strawberry red lips were forming into a blissful smile.

                “My baby, give me my baby.” Tony said in a breathless sigh as he stretched out his arms, signaling his husband to surrender the infant to him. Steve sat next to his wife and handed over the baby that was beginning to quiet down into fussy little noises, Tony made a few hush sounds and cradled his first born in the fold of his arms.

                “He’s beautiful, he looks exactly like you.” Steve mentioned as he marveled at his new son, Tony was stunned since his husband was correct. The baby unsheathed his adorable large almond colored eyes that seem to twinkle and he has a tuft of wild dark brown hair on the top of his cranium.

                “He does look like me.” Tony responded softly as he was not able to talk in a higher volume since he busted his vocals from his bellowing. He snuggled closer to Steve who extended his arm to coil around Tony, grasping the side of his shoulder.

                “What would you like to call him?”

                “I haven’t really thought of any boy names; I thought it would be a girl.”

                “Do you want to name him after you?”

                “Ugh no, one Anthony is enough.”

                “Well, he is going to need a name, my darling.” Steve reminded as he wiggled his index finger in front of the infant who grasped it in his petite fist.

                “Why don’t we name him after your uncle, Peter?” Tony suggested as he looked at Steve who seemed astonished, his husband stared at him with his shimmering cobalt eyes.

                “Really?”

                “Yeah, I like it, and I know how much you loved him.”

                “It’s perfect…thank you Tony.” Steve whispered gently as he kissed Tony’s temples with his heart lurched out, pleased that their first child is named after one of his relatives.

                “I’m almost having a hard time believing that this just happened. I actually gave birth.”

                “You gave us this wonderful little boy. You’re a mom now.” Steve replied as he reeled Tony and the baby nearer to the warmth of his muscled body. Tony let the idea register in his mind as he examined the way Peter open and close his small mouth; Tony possessively cuddled his son to nestle against the comforting heat of his upper torso.

                “That’s right, I’m a mom.” Tony acknowledged with a bright smile as he turned his head slightly to gaze into the cerulean blue waves of his husband’s eyes. Steve nodded with a hearty laugh and cupped Tony’s hot cheek; he leaned in for their lips to caress in an amatory motion. The blond withdrew his appendage so his right hand can interlace with Tony’s left, they held on to one another, showing the romantic sight of their wedding rings glimmering together. Both of the bands glistened brilliantly of solid gold, and the polished gems of sapphire and ruby. _Our love has created this, created Peter… then it can only mean that the love that Steve and I share is real, we made this baby, and he is ours forever_ …Tony thought jubilantly as he separated from Steve’s passionate kiss and softly gazed at him, thumbing his husband’s bottom lip. The new parents rested their foreheads to touch as they closed their eyes with their ruddy red lips outlining jovial smiles; they drew Peter closer for both of them to embrace the newborn together, showing that a light still shines in the darkest recesses of the asylum and that a hell can be made into a heaven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 9 will probably be pretty long, so until next chapter!


	9. The Face of Envy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Tony get use to the idea of taking care of their child Peter, soon they realize that they might have to make a huge decision that can impact their lives forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, here is a chapter! By the way, you might dislike Steve in a specific scene in this chapter.

          After the extraordinary event of the birth of Peter Stark-Rogers, approximately a week drifted by and both of the parents were busy but joyful of taking care of the new member of their strange family. On a fine breezy afternoon, the soft glow of sunlight penetrated through the glass and iron slabs of the windows, and Tony was currently in the huge space of the bathroom. He has been studying his reflection on the mirror above the granite surface of the sink, Tony only had on a cherry red balconette bra with white polka dots and petite bows on its skinny straps, with matching panties. The brunette made a long shuddering sigh as he shook his head in disapproval, ever since the childbirth, his breasts became swollen, filled with milk for his baby to drink upon.

                “I look like a porn-star.” Tony remarked with a lack of enthusiasm as he poked his own chest with discontent. He could not fathom that this part of his body was forced to grow, he constantly had to remind himself that it will return back to normal as long as he continues breastfeeding his infant. Tony gave one last glare at his upper torso and then went ahead to snatch his folded clothes on the countertop. It was a simple front buttoned summer dress with orange and yellow vertical stripes, it has a bust and strap style, and the light skirt was above his kneecaps. Tony exited out the lavatory and decided to locate his son who is with Steve; he strolled through the Victorian parlor and finally arrived at the master bedroom region. His lovely visage immediately softened at the sight, Tony stood quietly near the edge of the bedstead to see his child and husband. Steve was asleep in the comfort of his faded jeans and white tank top, Peter was also in a deep slumber, his head resting on the brawn of his father’s chest cavity. Peter was wearing a periwinkle footie pajama with tiny white stars on it. After his birth, Steve was completely occupied on making baby clothes. The handsome blond has both of his big hands securely on the baby, Tony giggled of the adorable sight and he crept a bit closer to bend halfway forward to be near Steve’s attractive mien.

                “Still asleep, Mr. Rogers?” Tony probed teasingly as he ruffled through the lion gold tufts of Steve’s short hair with a stroke from his fingers.

                “Not anymore, Mrs. Rogers.” Steve answered back with a drowsy tenor as he slowly opened his azure blue eyes with an infectious smile.

                “Looks like you boys had some fun.”

                “A little bit of playtime and a nap. It’s been good.”

                “Glad you two are bonding so well, but I have to take Peter right now, he needs to be fed again.” Tony explained as he straightened his posture, Steve carefully lifted the infant and passed him to Tony. Peter woke up with his sparkling fawn eyes blinking, he gave a tiny yawn.

                “Aw, you still sleepy?” Tony directed the question towards Peter as he pursed out his scarlet red lips and started making kissing noises at his son. Peter made a grin and squealed in delight, as Tony carried him tightly.

                “That time again huh…” Steve spoke up mysteriously as he got up from the mattress; his wife glanced at him with confusion and suspicion.

                “Are you talking about feeding Peter? I have to at least breastfeed him eight to twelve times a day.”

                “I know, but I’m curious about something.”

                “What is it?”

                “Why can’t I touch your—you know….” Steve said as he seemed a little nervous, he pointed at Tony’s upper body as a clue.

                “Because I don’t want you to, these jugs are not for your groping pleasure.” Tony answered with a flat tone as he felt Peter clutch the left slim strap of his vibrant gown.

                “Just one touch, that’s all I’m asking.”

                “I said no, now if you excuse me, I have a baby to feed.” Tony concluded as he began walking away with Peter, thinking that Steve was acting exactly like every immature husband after the childbirth.

                “You’re very cruel, Tony.” Steve mentioned as he stalked after his wife and son, the three entered the nursery. The brunette wordlessly sat down on the rocking chair and balanced Peter in his arms; he unpinned the top buttons and pulled down the entire left side of his bright red bra. The baby began sucking on the exposed teat for a gush of natural milk to flow down his throat; Tony gently hummed a sweet tune and kept Peter in the warmth of his bosom. Steve leaned his back against one of the oak drawers with his arms crossed, he silently observed the intimate moment between his wife and their son. It stirred his heart and softened his expression in an instant; Tony looked so natural and quite beautiful with his ruddy red lips stretched in a lovely smile and his honey eyes glowed with such a spellbinding shine. Steve had no doubt that Tony would make a wonderful mother to his son and perhaps other offspring in the near future. He listened to the small gulps from Peter and saw Tony plant a maternal kiss on the peak of their son’s head to feel a few dark tufts of the baby’s untamed hair. When a long amount of time passed, Peter was finally finished with his meal, and Tony fixed up the top portion of his clothes properly. Tony rose from the comfortable seat with his hands cradling their precious child; he carefully tucked Peter on the crook of Steve’s arms.

                “Here, check if he needs to get his diaper changed. Meanwhile, I have to fetch the laundry.” Tony explained as he entrusted his husband to take care of the task, he exited out of the nursery to fulfill his chore. Steve touched the bottom of Peter’s pajamas, he did not feel anything solid and it was dry.

                “It looks like you don’t need a change yet, little man.” Steve said lovingly as he held Peter up, letting the happy baby reach out and pat his cheeks with a rowdy crow. Steve made a cheerful laugh and hugged Peter devotedly, he loved his son so much that everything in the world seems insignificant compared to him. The joyful father left the colorful chambers and headed straight through the Victorian parlor and stopped before reaching to the master bedroom where Peter was miraculously conceived. Steve cautiously placed Peter in a simple pale white playpen, letting the baby lay on a few layers of blankets. When he was in the process of thinking of how to occupy Peter for a little while before his next nap, he saw his dear wife enter the area with a straw basket filled with clean clothes; the majority of them belonged to Peter. Steve immediately approached Tony, he suddenly gripped the rim of the container to touch Tony’s smooth fingers, and they both faced one another carrying the hamper and standing together.

                “How about you do this later?” Steve said with a cunning tone as Tony was able to perceive that familiar lusty glaze in his husband’s profound oceanic eyes.

                “I have folding to do; you seriously want to stop me from doing that?” Tony responded purposely as he felt his dark eyebrows quirk upward in suspicion.

                “There are other things we can be doing together.”

                “Oh, so you want to fold laundry with me.”

                “Silly woman.” Steve merely replied with a devious smile and he yanked the bin out of Tony’s hands and threw it aside carelessly for it to tumble unto the carpet, spilling out the washed contents. Without another word, Steve clutched Tony’s waist and reeled his wife in for their tough bodies to collide. The avid blond lunged forward to crush his starving full lips against Tony’s, he cracked open Tony’s delicious mouth by shoving in the pink head of his long tongue inside. The couple was meshed in a sloppy session of French kissing, Steve craftily slithered his large hands downward to seize Tony’s perky plump butt cheeks. They separated from their passionate smooch to create a loud wet smack for a minute.

                “I missed you.” Steve announced gently as he was hinting that he was filled with longing to rekindle the intimacy they had to put aside for a while since the arrival of the baby.

                “I missed you too.” Tony answered with a sugary smile and with a velvet tenor in his hypnotic voice.

                “Bed?” Steve simply inquired with a heavy huff as he cosseted Tony’s scarlet red lips with rough strokes.

                “Yeah…bed…”Tony nodded as he made a tiny noise of satisfaction when he felt Steve bite his bottom slick lip and feel it slide from the hard twist of his milky white teeth. Steve and Tony continued in the trap of their fiery osculation, as they walked towards the bedstead with their minds scrambled and blinded with their greedy appetites. Tony felt Steve harshly push him, causing him to fall backwards on the lush surface of the mattress; he crawled upward to have his back rest against the headboard. He watched Steve crouch low on the bed like a powerful lion and crept up to settle in between his spread legs, Steve quickly peeled off his white tank top and flung it away. Steve was so impatient that he took ahold of the center of Tony’s yellow-orange dress and ripped it open for the transparent buttons to pop off and scatter among the bed sheets.

                “Damn girl…” Steve commented with a high dose of provocation as he flicked his tongue swiftly to dampen his own arid lips. He was able to see how Tony was a bit mortified; he gripped the blankets to create sharp creases, as he was exposed to unveil his cherry red bra of white polka dots and his tight thin panties to match. Steve slunk in to close in the remaining space between them; he saw how Tony’s high cheeked boned face was fiercely blushing into a blistering red, he felt Tony’s soft breasts nestle warmly against his burly chest.

                “Sorry, they’re a little bit bigger than usual.” Tony spoke up timidly as he felt Steve rest the noble crest of his forehead on his, letting his angular nose tap his with a dirty smirk widening.

                “Don’t be sorry, my darling.” Steve reassured with a dreamy tone as he shifted his large hands down the silky slope of Tony’s graceful neck. His long fingers took a hold of the clip in front of Tony’s vibrant red patterned bra and unhooked it. Steve made a heavy gulp out of sheer pleasure when he saw his wife’s current bust size; Tony’s titillating bosom looked more delicious than usual with its velveteen skin and with a more defined vigorous round shape. Tony immediately screwed his luminous russet eyes shut; he flung his head back with a few breathless sighs as he felt Steve cup his saporous breasts with the coarse pinch of his palms. Steve lowered himself a bit to start smooching Tony’s ample upper torso, letting his voracious tongue flick upon the scrumptious surface, leaving trails of hot saliva as he squeezed the riveting flesh with tension. Tony rested the back of his skull against the flat headboard, he felt his dainty hands automatically glide over Steve’s shoulder blades and end up tangling his fingers within the golden fleece of his husband’s glossy hair. The aroused brunette was beginning to lactate with dribbles of fresh milk swimming down the clefts of his glorious body, the pallid droplets appeared watery at first, but sooner they became thicker and creamier. Steve held the right of Tony’s strawberry pink nipple in between his smiling lips, clamping on it to feel a small splash of the natural milk washes down in his esophagus. Tony finally opened his shimmering fawn brown eyes and shivered elatedly when Steve licked the teat and his calloused hands skimmed downward to feel the curves of his wife’s heated flanks and buxom hips.

                “I’m dripping—so much—“Tony said with a melted tenor in his melodious vocals as he saw how Steve lifted his head for his translucent azure eyes to settle on his flushed face.

                “Not all of you.” Steve responded with a sly glint in his sky blue lenses as he grabbed Tony by his ankles and slung his wife’s built supple legs to rest on his broad shoulders. It forced Tony to slant for the lower half of his body to be poised a bit upward, Steve could feel his own cock throb and harden. Steve took a hold of the back of the band of Tony’s underwear, hauling it down from behind to only reveal the corpulent savory butt cheeks. Tony watched with anticipation and with a silent exhilaration when he noticed how Steve sucked on two of his own fingers to get them nice and slick. He pushed his index finger in between the naked quivering globes first, Tony hissed delightfully as his body slightly jolted. Steve started to chuckle with gratification as he added in the second finger, he began scissoring in an up and down motion to widen the hole. Tony felt his lengthy jet black eyelashes flutter hastily as he felt his statuesque waist rotate sensually, he felt his inner walls stretch, it burned and it felt marvelous to feel Steve’s long fingers penetrate the interior. Steve thrust in further into Tony’s wet anus which made Tony make a high shrill, Tony was dizzy with ecstasy that he would repeatedly say the word ‘yes’ in the middle of every panting moan. Tony could feel the pale discharge leak out, staining the wrinkled bed sheets; Steve removed his sticky fingers that are coated with cum making a squelching noise. Tony was prepped to welcome Steve’s hefty dick inside, all Steve had to do was eradicate his own jeans and his dark boxers.

                Suddenly, the couple instantly froze and felt their epidermis prickle with a dose of dread when they heard a familiar sound that extinguished their naughty desires. They looked with their mouths dropped open when seeing that Peter was lying in his playpen this entire time. Peter made a few lively giggles; he obviously did not comprehend what his parents were doing since he was a bit far away from them. He couldn’t even view the intimate scene since the platform bed was too high and the distance was reasonable, luckily he did not see any of the filthy movements. Tony screamed out of mortification and horror that he shoved Steve away from him with his feet, Steve was unguarded and paying no attention that the full force knocked him backwards to crash against the ground.

                “I thought he was in his room?!” Tony yelled in a panicked fashion as he hurriedly wrapped the blankets of the mattress around himself to function like a towel. He sprang out of the cozy spot to quickly pick up the baby.

                “It was my fault, I put him there.” Steve admitted as he slowly rose to his feet, he rubbed the back of his sore head, wishing he wasn’t so forgetful sometimes or so weak with his sexual cravings. Tony groaned out of frustration as he bolted right out the room with Peter in his arms to transfer him out of the area. Steve couldn’t help but laugh a bit of the humorous image, grateful that he at least had one bite of his wife today, but it looks like they’ll have to be more discreet on their love-making for now on.

 

 

                When Peter turned nine months old, his parents discovered that the infant learned how to crawl. They were ecstatic and proud of seeing their son so active and mobile, he was quite fast and he enjoyed having his mother and father chase and capture him. Tony sat on a chair in the Victorian parlor near the circular shaped ebony table; he watched over Peter who sat near his feet, the child was amused with stacking blocks on top of one another that Steve carved for him. Tony smoothed out the crinkles of his white apron that has frilly straps with a tired sigh, he was getting drowsy and he has been getting less hours of sleep for putting all his energy on taking care of Peter. Right now, Steve was in the asylum, Tony asked him to go out and search in his territory for necessary lumber to build gates inside their household so Peter won’t go into sections of the house that could endanger his life. Unfortunately, out of pure rush, Steve left to hunt for the materials, but he didn’t shut their door fully. It was open by a crack, but it looked deceiving since it appeared as if it was completely closed. Steve has been gone for nearly sixty minutes, and Tony felt his eyelids slowly lower as he was drifting into a sweet slumber. Tony’s body limped as he rested on the comfort of the seat; Peter finished his little cubed tower and turned himself to start crawling on all fours, distancing himself from his snoozing mother. Peter headed for the front door where he saw his father exit, he wedged in between the door and its frame by going through the cranny. Luckily, it made a loud creak to bring Tony back to consciousness, who saw Peter disappear behind the antique door.

                “Peter no!” Tony bellowed out with a sharp frightened pitch as he swiftly jumped out of the chair and ran after him. He swung the door open and was relieved to find Steve standing there carrying Peter securely with a bit of confusion and apprehension. Steve returned just in the nick of time to discover his son barely leave the safe house, making only one shuffle on the dusty boarded floor. Tony immediately took Peter into his arms, and gave a sigh out of gratefulness.

                “That was a close one.” Steve mentioned as he tenderly cupped Tony’s cheek to provide comfort and to calm his wife down.

                “Thank you Steve.” Tony merely replied with a cut breath as he was still a bit rattled of the thought that their baby was near to venturing into the darkness of the asylum. He planted a few kisses on the top of Peter’s head and ruffled through the dark tresses of his infant’s hair. Steve nodded with a cordial smile and escorted his wife and child back into their refuge, closing the door behind them.

                “It is important for the two of you to never go back out there.”

                “What’s going on?”

                “More Variants are breaking from their cells and loosening from their bonds. They are wandering in every sector of this building, including my territory.” Steve explained as he embraced his concerned wife, Peter was in between them with his usual jovial temperament. He noticed an increase amount of the psychotic patients when he saw a few of them wander around in his domain, he stored the wood that he needed for baby proofing their home in his grimy workshop. Steve left the materials there to go back to their hiding house to warn them of this danger.

                “If that is the case, will you do me a favor?”

                “Yes, what is it, my darling?”

                “Can you make a bolt latch for the door, you know for safety measures.” Tony requested as he was a bit spooked of the idea of a multitude of Variants freeing themselves and roaming through the corridors of the madhouse.

                “That is a good idea.” Steve accepted his wife’s wish and mildly pressed a light smooch on the center of Tony’s forehead to ease him a bit further. He made this his first priority and went straight to work to produce a lock, for the sake of protecting his family. Tony and Peter are the only two people he loves in this unfair world; he would surely die if anything tragic befell on either of them.

 

 

                Approximately three years have vanished; it was seven-thirty in the evening and the caramel colored drapes were closed to block out the misty shine of the moonlight. Peter Stark-Rogers sat on the lush carpet in the Victorian parlor wearing a pair of cozy pajamas with hunter green and navy blue stripes. He quietly hunched forward drawing a picture of his family with bright crayons that Steve found lying in the Vocation Block where the mentally ill patients would do arts and crafts. Tony lied on his right side wearing a spicy red halter dress with its thick straps tied behind the nape of his neck for the tails to dangle and touch the ridge of his spine, and it cuddled around his muscled thighs. The two were near the warmth of the cobblestone hearth; the entrancing fire danced and cracked the burnt logs. Tony observed how Peter was almost done with his creative project since he was sketching out Steve’s sunny blond hair with a yellow crayon. Every passing day has been so pleasant in this sanctuary, making Tony forget about the outside realm that is beyond the iron gates of Mount Massive Asylum, he felt his place is truly here, being a dedicated mother to Peter and a loving wife to Steve.

                “To think I found a lover here, rather he found me.” Tony muttered quietly as this was not exactly the life he has always dreamed of, but now it was a little better than he could ever imagine.

                “Daddy?” Peter questioned as he glanced up at his lovely mother and was probing about Steve since Tony mentioned him, Peter was quite intelligent for a three year old.

                “Yes, and I don’t think I ever told you how the two of us met.” Tony replied with a small chuckle as Peter put away the crayon back into its carton since he finished his drawing, and he sat waiting to hear the origins of his parents. In this precise moment, Steve Rogers barely entered the Victorian parlor and heard his wife’s last statement, he did not join his family, but he kept silent and leaned against the edge of the wall. Steve wiped his wet hands on his black khakis to dry off since he was washing the dishes earlier. He folded his beefy arms against the brawn of his chest, feeling the downy fabric of his light blue buttoned shirt.

                “How?” Peter merely asked as he hugged his knees, tapping his tiny feet on the tidy floor with curiosity sparkling in his big coco brown eyes.

                “It was a night like this, I was lost and I went downstairs. Your dad was hiding at first, because he was shy, he fell in love with me at first sight. Then he finally showed himself to me. From that point on, he and I played ‘hide and seek’ for a while until he caught me.” Tony explained with a honeyed smile on his rosy red lips, he was sugar-coating the story for his son. He did not want Peter to be informed of how he was frightened and was chased relentlessly by Steve, who forced him to marry him and was a victim of a bit of torture and multiple cases of sexual assault. Tony could not bring himself to tell that in the beginning he hated Steve and that he was the cause of his misery and fear, especially since he loves Steve with both his body and soul.

                “Such a pure heart…” Steve made a hush whisper as he quirked a grateful expression, he was aware that Tony was making their story innocent; Tony was not painting him as a monster, but as a gentle suitor.

                “What else?” Peter inquired as he crawled up to his mother and slouched his petite body on Tony’s legs that are arranged to lie on the side.

                “We got married and you came along.” Tony concluded as he straightened his upper torso a bit to cuddle with his son, he rubbed Peter’s back.

                “Did you and daddy always live here?”

                “No…” Tony answered with a murmur as he was frozen with bewilderment, he remembered that he once had a purpose in this madhouse, he used to be a software engineer and he was searching for an escape route from this corrupt facility. It forced Tony to turn his head to stare at the hickory drawer where it held his camcorder, the important evidence needed to bring the Von Doom Corporation into ruins and shut down Mount Massive Asylum forever.

                “Mommy?” Peter began to shake the distracted Tony as he never saw his own mother look so solemn and concerned at the same time.

                “Miles Upshur…we were supposed to meet…” Tony said in surprise as he realized that he was supposed to contact the private journalist years ago, he could not believe that he let something so crucial become forgotten in the tides of time. He reprimanded himself for not completing his sole mission. However, it wakened his senses for him to be determined again to execute justice by getting Miles to work on the terrible story of this mental institution. Tony discovered that he and his new family cannot stay in this safe house any longer; he resolved to take both his son and husband away from here.

Unfortunately, Steve Rogers felt the petite feathery hairs on the nape of his neck stiffen; his skin began to sting with agitation and with a strange alarm. He quickly unfolded his arms and felt his sea blue eyes widen when hearing the name ‘Miles Upshur’ fall from his wife’s lips, this was the second time Tony has mentioned this mysterious man. The first moment was when he and Tony sat in the kitchen table eating delicious cake together, they discussed about Tony’s original job in the Von Doom Corporation and how Tony was tormented by the Morphogenic Engine for trying to spill the company’s secrets to Miles. Steve loathed the words that Tony spoke up just now, they seemed distasteful like vinegar and Tony had a sad far off look about him, he seemed detached and too enraptured in the thought of this unknown male. A storm of jealousy was brewing within the chaotic waves of Steve’s flamed consciousness, his magnificent jaw clenched angrily and his sentiments were growing treacherously. Steve listened to the primitive call of his instincts; he swiftly spun around to charge into the kitchen and stood in front of the granite countertop that is in between the sink and the refrigerator. He felt his own nostrils flare and his light eyebrows furrowed madly, he cursed Miles Upshur continuously until he reached out and grabbed a long silver carving knife from the wooden holder with darkness glazed in his luminous blue irises.

Within a minute, Tony Stark was able to regain his concentration when he heard the scruff of Steve’s raven black polished shoes. He focused straight ahead to see his husband appear so stern and intimidating, noticing that he had his left hand behind his back.

                “Peter, go to your room.” Steve ordered with a no nonsense voice, he seemed slightly annoyed when his son clung on to Tony, resting against the security and coziness of his mother’s bosom.    

                “But I want to stay with mommy—“Peter began but he was interrupted when he felt his own father grip him roughly by the collar of his clothes and pried him off of Tony.

                “When I tell you to do something, you do it!” Steve shouted out with irritation as he carried Peter under his arm and started walking towards the young lad’s bedroom. Peter was struggling and he burst into noisy wails of his dad’s harsh speech and acts. Tony immediately reacted that he hastily rose to his feet and he was perturbed of the sight.

                “Steve, what are you doing?!” Tony demanded as he watched how Steve put Peter into his room and quickly shut the three year old in; he took a hold of one of the oak chairs near the ebony round table and jammed it under the golden knob to trap Peter inside. Their son was crying in a deafening pitch, it made Tony suffer when Peter was sobbing and calling out ‘mommy’ repeatedly.

                “How can you treat our son like that?!”

                “Shut up you little slut!” Steve roared fiercely as he twirled around with a belligerent countenance, he bared his fangs like a wild wolf as he stomped up to Tony and brutally punched the defenseless brunette. Tony collapsed on the ground with his head near Peter’s colorful drawing and the frame of the fireplace, Tony was baffled as he grasped his bruised cheek.

                “Why are—“

                “You have no right to speak!” Steve interjected as he pinned Tony on the carpet by going on top of him and latching his hips on Tony’s, he revealed the glittering weapon and stabbed it on the ground to be only four inches away from the left side of Tony’s panicky face.

                “Stop it! You’re not in your right mind—“Tony didn’t obey and for that he felt Steve strike his jaw with piercing knuckles, the bone almost snapped.

                “You’re leaving me for that damn journalist, aren’t you?!” Steve assumed as he felt his fury increase dramatically and his furious fist collided against Tony’s injured mien again. The pressure was so ruthless that it made Tony’s head thump to the right and it forced him to spit out a splay of fresh heavy blood that streaked Peter’s portrait of his family. Steve continued to beat Tony who would make a few high pitch shrieks, it was seen that the crimson blood oozed from under his eyelids, the caves of his nostrils, and the corners of his gasping mouth. Tony discovered that Steve is doing this out of jealously, thinking that there is something between him and Miles.

                “No more…please…it’s not like that…!” Tony begged in a hoarse voice as his right hand clutched the front of Steve’s shirt, balling up the material in his shaky fingers.

                “Everyone should know how much of a whore you are!” Steve bellowed out with hostility in his vocal cords, as Tony could see the petrifying reflection of the hearth’s fire in Steve’s heartless eyes, seeing the cerulean lenses emulate the intense red-orange blaze. The wicked blond yanked Tony’s hand away from his upper body and slammed it down for Tony’s entire arm to expose. Steve wedged the shimmering gray stiletto from the carpet with his other hand and buried the razor sharp tip into the ivory flesh of the underside of Tony’s appendage. Tony began screaming in an earsplitting manner and he screwed his frightened coffee eyes shut, he felt a few globs of water form near the rims of his eye sockets. Steve was slashing across the delicate skin, marking Tony and leaving deep bloody fissures, he finally finished and it was a word spelled out on Tony’s limb: WHORE.

                “But I love you, Steve…I would never betray you…it’s you who has made the betrayal…” Tony coughed up as a few droplets of hot blood stained his dark facial hair and gazed at Steve with a glimmer of a beautiful despair and pain. He weakly touched Steve’s handsome visage that was slowly draining away from the overwhelming wrath, Steve’s heated cheek was left with the outline of Tony’s fingers by the blemish of the wine red blood. Tony swallowed with great difficultly as his own sorrowful tears were multiplying faster to swim down the arcs of his high cheek boned face. He felt so numb and blinded by his own love for Steve that he could only blame the mental illness for this violent event. Steve allowed for his emotions to become beastly. Steve was too influenced by his rage, thus making him a traitor to his own self, letting his negative feelings manipulate him to think incorrect assumptions about his wife.

                “Oh god…Tony…” Steve uttered with apprehension and regret as he dropped the carving knife for it to tumble on to the floor, he barely registered in his mind that he has falsely accused of his beloved for being unfaithful. He let envy control him and do this despicable deed.

                “Do you still love me…?” Tony questioned purposely with his vocals shuddering, his tainted lips were pressed together into a tight line. Steve ruffled his large hand through the burnish strands of Tony’s short hair as he gritted his milky white teeth, he felt salty beads of water accumulate and dribble down rapidly.

                “Yes… and I’m so sorry, my darling…I don’t deserve you…” Steve acknowledged with a choke as he felt an apology wasn’t enough to blot out this unforgivable sin. He could not tolerate the goodness that Tony is still showing to him; he shouldn’t be here with this perfect angel, not when he is the devil himself.

                “Steve…” Tony spoke up with itchiness in his sore throat as he noticed Steve lifted himself to get off of him, Tony held out his hand to him, hoping that his husband won’t abandon him.

                “I can’t…” Steve concluded with a gulp as he continued to feel the crystal drops stream down, he shook his head, feeling afraid of hurting Tony more and that could lead him to murder his own lover… he had to protect Tony. The frail brunette was going to faint, he watched Steve’s tall figure become blurry and he was able to notice how Steve was leaving. Before closing his eyes to see the cold shadows, the last image he saw was his husband vanishing behind the antique door leading to the asylum.

Four hours have disappeared and it was close to midnight, Tony Stark finally reclaimed his consciousness that he cracked open his chocolate brown eyes. He slowly sat up and picked up Peter’s sketch of their happy family, it was spoiled with the scarlet dye of his own spilled blood, the acrid lines marred it. Tony felt anxious when he heard nothing but the eerie silence; he let the crumbling drawing flutter from his grasp. He tottered back on his feet and instantly crossed over to Peter’s bedroom. He shoved the chair that blocked the door out of the way and accessed it, it was quite dark inside but Tony was able to navigate through it. Tony sat on the edge of Peter’s bed, seeing his son shiver under his blankets and whimper unhappily. He noticed that Peter hasn’t stop crying for a long time, he stroked the fleecy locks of Peter’s hair with the hand that was free from blood. Peter shuffled a bit; he then woke up, and immediately crawled over to Tony and hugged his mother with a sob of relief.

                “Mommy!” Peter cried as he gripped onto Tony, he was nervous and perplexed when he heard his own mom screeching earlier when he was alone with Steve.

                “It’s okay, Peter… I’m here.”

                “What did daddy do?”

                “He and I just had a little disagreement, that’s all.” Tony said as he was thankful that the area was dark enough to hide the blood and bruises on his visage and the ‘whore tattoo’ on his arm.

                “I’m scared.”

                “Everything is gonna be fine, it’s just your daddy is a little sick and he’s just not himself today.”

                “Really?”

                “Yes sweetie, I promise that things will be good again in the morning.”

                “Did daddy tell you sorry yet?”

                “Don’t worry, he did. Now love, go to sleep, its way pass your bedtime.” Tony concluded as he took Peter by the hand to have him scamper back to his pillow and lie under the sheets. Tony tucked Peter in tightly, he wished he could kiss him, but his mouth was coated with brittle blood.

                “I love you mommy.”

                “I love you too, sweetheart.” Tony ran his hand through Peter’s hair and felt a little relaxed to see Peter slumber peacefully.

He quietly exited out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him, Tony felt exhausted and his body felt battered. Tony wanted to make sure that Peter was fine, and to not have him hate his own father, especially when Peter admires him so much. He trudged through the cool dimness of the gray obscurity and felt concerned of what Steve was doing in this exact second. Tony sank down to sit on the verge of the mattress of the master bedroom; he buried his face in his hands and began to weep hysterically. _There is something wrong with me, I should be afraid of Steve, but all I want is for him to come back to me. I should have never mentioned Miles if I knew it would make Steve lose it. I did this to him…I still love him though he hurt me, even though people would think it’s the stupidest thing I can ever do. I’m just as sick as him, the both of us are sick_ …Tony made a soft gasp when he felt a pair of burly arms wrap around his stomach from behind. He turned a little to see it was Steve Rogers; he was embracing his entire backside. His brawny chest pressed against his wife to transfer a bit of heat. Tony noted how Steve was soaked with the dirty blood of slain Variants from his dejected visage to the line of his built midriff, Tony could feel the hot cerise red liquid stain his naked back and the velvet fabric of his halter dress. Steve must have been slaughtering the psychotic patients this whole time.

                “The doctors should have killed me a long time ago…so you wouldn’t have to be in this mess in the first place…to be with a terrible man like me…I destroyed your life…” Steve shared with wretchedness as he considered this the truth. He felt that if Tony never stumbled upon his territory, he would have a bright future and be with a sane male, not one that has been decaying for decades like him.

                “Don’t say such things.” Tony said as he felt Steve lower a bit to lean his head to touch against his temples. Steve closed his frosty blue eyes and nuzzled the tip of his angular nose to feel the soft brush of Tony’s lustrous strands of his hair, he truly felt accountable and pitiful.

                “But it is true, look what I have done to you, I hurt you—“

                “You did, especially when you thought I was gonna leave you for Miles. I was nothing but a whore to you.” Tony clarified as he bit his bottom slick lip as he looked at his arm, seeing the “WHORE” mark, it was drying up but it still burned.

                “I was afraid of losing you to another man. Miles is sane; he has the very thing I lack. You would be safe and happy with someone stable.”

                “If that were true, I would have left a long time ago. I don’t love Miles; I love you, that’s why I’m still here.”  

                “I’ve never seen love like yours before…” Steve whispered despondently as he unraveled his right appendage and cradled Tony’s wounded arm in his large palm, his thumb mildly cosseted the lines of the offensive insult that he engraved on the cold skin.

                “It’s called ‘unconditional love’.” Tony answered as he lightly took a hold of Steve’s chin and moved him a bit to have his grave face look at his. The both of them blinked their watery eyes, Tony kissed Steve, and the two tasted the metallic flavor of blood, but they still melted under the tender stroke.

                “I’m not worthy of it, that is why I’ll lead you and Peter out of the asylum.” Steve announced rashly as his breath sounded jagged, and he seemed more grief-stricken than before.

                “Wait, what about you?”

                “I belong here, to rot with this place.”

                “No Steve, I can’t let you do this to us! We need you!”

                “I won’t let Peter and especially you suffer anymore. I don’t belong out there.”

                “If you love me, you’ll go with us.”

                “It’s because I love you that I’m letting you go.”

                “Then we won’t leave, we’ll stay.”

                “It won’t work out; besides, I cannot possibly live in any society when I have records of being a murderer.”

                “We won’t live in the city; we will escape into the deepest part of the mountains and make a new home.” Tony responded with worriment as he was desperate to not allow Steve to make them separate, it was too much to bear.

                “I don’t know.”

                “Please, let’s escape this nightmare together. We are a family after all.” Tony was desperately trying to convince Steve to accept, he turned his whole body to go on his knees and tower a bit over the melancholy blond. Tony cupped his husband’s bloody sticky cheeks as they stared at one another with quivering eyes.

                “You’re right; I am a husband and a father, I can’t desert my own family. We will leave this place.” Steve said as he felt Tony descend lower to make their silhouettes converge. Steve felt renovated when he felt Tony stay in the warmth of his embrace, and perch his head on his sternum. _How did I get so lucky to have Tony, not once was an apology demanded, but only a plea to runaway together…no matter what happens, I will get Tony and Peter out of here, even if it costs me my life… if it is needed, I’ll die for the love Tony has shown me. I can only hope that I’ll be able to survive, long enough to see the outside world with my son and with my dearest wife._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outlast Stony is ending soon! Be prepared!


	10. Farewell to Mount Massive Asylum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Steve contact Miles Upshur, as the family escape the madhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you guys are, thanks for being so patient!

          It was eight fifteen in the early morning and the master bedroom was empty with the exception of the tangled sheets that were blemished with stripes of dry old blood. Within the spacious bathroom of the quiet household, both Steve and Tony Rogers were inside the upright transparent prism taking a long hot shower together. The clear walls fogged up by the heavy steam as the couple felt the warm crystal droplets trickle down the crevices of their fit bodies. Steve just finished rubbing a bar of cucumber soap against a white fluffy rag, and began to clean the ridge of Tony’s spine and the bulks of muscle of his back. Tony closed his hazel brown eyes to feel the watery beads cling and dangle on his jet black long eyelashes, feeling his husband gently scrub away the last remnants of the hardened blood from last night. Steve then massaged the small towel on Tony’s round left shoulder in a soothing rotation as he lowered his head a bit to have his full lips part and press a few sweet kisses on the flank of Tony’s elegant neck.

                “Are you sure you still want me to come with you?” Steve asked quietly as he dropped the marred cloth aside to splat near the corner; streams of ruby red blood swirled down into the drain.

                “Of course I want you to, ‘till death do us part’, it is in our marriage vows after all.” Tony answered softly with a cordial smile outlined on his crimson red lips.

                “Everyone in my life has left me, except you.” Steve commented as he twisted the knob on the right and shut off the water from continuing to pour out like a rainfall. He swung the see-through door open for them to exit out of the fancy container; they climbed down the petite elevated steps and strolled across the room in their glorious nakedness. The couple stood in front of the granite countertop of the porcelain sink where their clean folded clothes, bath towels, and a roll of medical strips were sitting.

                “I’ll always be there for you, don’t you worry.” Tony replied as he affectionately combed Steve’s wet golden locks for the glossy hair to slick back, the two began to dry themselves by the cottony rags and felt reassured and peaceful in one another’s company.

                “So tell me, my darling, what is the first thing we should do?” Steve questioned as he wiped off the watery drops from the magnificent structure of his tough jawline, he dumped his towel in a hamper that was nearby. He went ahead to put on a pair of crisp navy blue jeans and a gray buttoned down shirt with its sleeves pausing on the midpoint of his arms.

                “We’re gonna try to get ahold of Miles, go to the asylum and check the Administration Block to see if the computers are still there.” Tony ordered with a serious tone as he wore a fresh set of new undergarments. He donned on a lacquered black slip dress with spaghetti straps on his snowy shoulders, as the long flowy skirt touched the nodes of his ankles. Steve then seized Tony by his carpals and wrapped milky white long bandages around his wife’s forearm, to cover the “WHORE” mark and for it to heal a little faster.

                “I’ll go and take a look, and I’ll come back for you and Peter.” Steve nodded out of obedience, as he was still wary of the existence of Mr. Upshur. He still disliked this stranger, but he was aware he had to discard his negative feelings for the sake of his family’s survival. Steve finished treating Tony’s wound from the previous evening.

                “Just be careful, and hurry back.” Tony advised with sincerity, he quickly grabbed Steve’s long fingers to stop him from leaving. He went on his tippy-toes and cupped Steve’s warm cheeks; he tilted his head a bit to press a velvet kiss for protection and luck. Steve smooched back with amour and gratitude of the simple but powerful gesture, they withdrew with hesitation.

                “I’ll be seeing you soon, my darling.” Steve concluded with a mild tenor in his low pleasing voice, he skimmed his large palm down Tony’s beatific visage to feel the velour epidermis once more. Tony felt himself inhale deeply as he watched his husband’s departure with a bit of ache that throbbed against his sternum. Soon, he awoke from the emotional trance and went out of the bathroom, not believing that this could be the destined day that they will all be free from the shackles of this madhouse. Tony walked over to enter Peter’s room, seeing his son squirm from under the thick blankets. He sat on the edge of the mattress and gently shook the boy, Peter rolled on his back and made a drowsy yawn, but he seemed happy to see Tony.

                “Hi mommy.”

                “Hey there sweetie, did you get some sleep?”

                “Yeah, uh where’s daddy?” Peter inquired as he balled up his sheets in his tiny fists, he was curious since he hasn’t seen Steve for hours.

                “He’s out, but he’ll be back soon. How about we get you dressed?” Tony mentioned as he got up on his feet and pulled Peter from under the covers, Peter understood since it always meant that Steve was in the asylum.

                “Are we going somewhere?”

                “Yup, we’re all going to see if we can talk to mommy’s friend, Miles.”

                “Is he nice?”

                “We’ll find out soon enough.”

 

Approximately two hours have passed by; Steve Rogers held his shimmering iron machete from his grimy workshop in his right hand as a line of defense. He was currently in the Administration Block and was eager to return to his beloved wife to give him the good news that the computers were still present in one of its numerous security rooms. Steve nonchalantly strolled through the darkness to hear the heels of his refined shoes click on the black-and-white linoleum, and including the irritating chime of a warning siren. He was able to perceive through the violet shadows with his ice blue eyes glowing incandescently, Steve turned the corner to see a bit of faded light streak the tarnished walls and grubby floor straight ahead. The inquisitive blond looked to the right to see a rusty wired door leading to a dead end; he ventured to this short passageway and saw a lone figure under a bar of fluorescent lights that hung on the ceiling. Steve recognized this sixty year old man that he was beginning to approach, the mysterious elder is bald, wearing a black chalky strait jacket that is fashioned to look like priestly robes with white straps on the front of his torso that were arranged to look like a crucifix. There was a worn-out bucket near him that was filled with a pool of dark blood, he dipped his fat fingers in it and continued to write a message on the chipped partition.

                “Father Martin.” Steve simply addressed as he watched the mystifying male stop for a moment to glance at his visitor with an earnest smile on his thin chapped lips.

                “Steven Grant Rogers, it has been awhile. It is odd to see you here, considering you rarely leave the Vocation Block.” Martin Archimbaud is actually not a real priest, he too is a Variant, he suffered from delusions and confusing them for supernatural visions.

He worships the Walrider as a god; it became his religion and his calling, transforming himself to be a devoted follower. The reason these two Variants know one another so well was that Steve would attend Father Martin’s bizarre sermons in the asylum’s chapel to find ways to control his aggression. Instead of speaking about Christianity or even the Almighty God himself, Father Martin would discuss about the Walrider. He was benevolent towards Steve since he did find out that Steve was chosen to become the next host for the Walrider in the past, every day he would speak to Steve and tell him it was a great honor to be the one chosen to become the invincible Walrider.  

                “I was just on my way back.”

                “I presume to your spouse. I have heard ‘The Groom’ finally taking a bride.”

                “It’s true, finally got myself a wife after years of waiting.” Steve responded as he held up his hand and showed the sparkling gold band on his index finger.

                “I don’t think I need to tell you how special your wife is, soon he might be praised and worship.” Father Martin replied cryptically as he resumed to painting the dry façade with the rotting red fluid.

                “I don’t understand—“

                “You were rejected to be the Walrider’s host by those doctors and Billy Hope took your place instead. However, I have been given a revelation that the Walrider will soon leave his body and seek a new one. From what I comprehend, your wife would be the perfect host.” Father Martin explained coolly as he finished his memo on the wall which had a huge arrow drawn, pointing to a hole on the ground that says: _Down the Drain._

                “Tony?! But that can’t be—“Steve began as he immediately stiffened in shock, he shook his head furiously of the statement.

                “He would be the ideal host; he is not one of us.”

                “But Father Martin, I can’t let her become the Walrider; I don’t want to lose her!” Steve shouted out as he stared at the lifeless hard brown eyes of the fake priest, he still has the habit of referring Tony as a woman.

                “Your wife has witnessed the horrors of this place and has seen the Walrider, isn’t that right? Why do you suppose he is the right host? It is because he has his rationality still intact.”

                “I can’t let this happen; I don’t care if Tony should be some sort of Walrider god, I promised to take her out of here!”

                “If that is the case, the prophecy can occur in a different manner. For there was another ‘vision’ I have received from the higher heavens and your wife still plays an important role.”

                “Well, what is it?”

                “One thing certain is that your wife will bring an Apostle, and perhaps this man can take your wife’s place as the host of the Walrider. He would have to experience a similar ordeal just like your wife did, knowing the horrors of this place and yet retaining his sanity.”

                “Good, because I think it’s time to end Tony’s fear and suffering once in for all.” Steve mentioned as he felt a bit tranquil now because he thought of a time Tony saying something that Miles Upshur needed to come to the asylum. The Groom had an epiphany; he believed that Tony could be saved if Miles becomes the lamb for slaughter, the one who can take Tony’s place as the Walrider’s host.

                “My son, return to your wife so he may deliver us the Apostle.” Father Martin said as he carried the bin that was sloshing with filthy blood, he lowered himself down into the gap on the ground and vanished to write more messages in different sections of the madhouse. Steve was a little baffled of the conversation he had with Father Martin, but it made him more determined to whisk Tony and their son Peter from this institution. He squeezed the dark handle of his extensive knife with tension, he realized that the only good that this Miles Upshur can do now, is to come to Mount Massive Asylum and unknowingly become a sacrifice in Tony’s place.

 

It was close to noon and Tony Stark was starting to get a bit worried for his husband, he stood next to one of the bedposts of the massive bed within the safe house. He was carrying Peter who was wearing a plain red shirt with denim blue overalls, they were both waiting for Steve to come and bring his news. After a few more minutes, the antique door swung open and it was Steve, he arrived looking cheerful but he was anxious about the information he exchanged with Father Martin. He still could not fathom the thought that Tony can be the next successor, to be the unstoppable entity of the darkest nanites and obtain the greatest power ever known to humanity. Steve peered upward to see his dearest wife and joyful son trot to him, the nervous blond examined the beauty of Tony’s curved countenance and the fullness of those juicy cherry red lips form a mesmerizing smile. He was repulsed of the idea that Tony’s pultrude can possibly melt away and evaporate once the black spirit of the Walrider penetrates the physical body and spread inside like a disease, taking away Tony’s identity and goodness…the mere concept of it was unbearable…he can’t let it happen…

                “Daddy!” Peter crowed excitedly as he was in between his parents, he remained in his mother’s arms but he leaned forward to hug Steve on the center of his burly torso.

                “Hey there, how’s my boy?” Steve mentioned as he grinned gleefully of his son’s energy, he kissed Peter on his little forehead.

                “Is it true, are we gonna go out?” Peter questioned as he remembered Tony mentioning of visiting a mysterious friend.  

                “Yes and the computers are still in the Administration Block.” Steve announced as he directed this statement more towards his wife who seemed content of the update.

                “That’s what I wanted to hear. Now then, please take us there.” Tony finalized as Steve nodded and opened the archaic door for the family to head over to their destination.

                It was two fifty-five in the hazy afternoon as the family of three trudged through the gray shadows of the madhouse; they were almost to their long journey’s end with Steve in front, guiding and protecting his child and wife. Tony was glad that he didn’t need his camcorder to travel through the heavy veil of darkness; he and Peter relied on Steve’s keen luminous blue eyes since they are able to pierce through the obscurity like night vision. As a precaution, the parents wrapped a piece of cloth to shield Peter’s vision, to prevent him from getting frightened and from viewing the terror of the treacherous environment. Peter tolerated it since he thought it was a simple game, he felt safe in the cradle of his mother’s tight arms as the feet of his parents echoed in the empty hallway upon the dirty planks. Soon enough, they entered one of the security rooms in the Administration Block that has dim lighting in it. Steve flipped the serrated blade of his knife to tuck into the handle and he slipped the weapon into the pocket of his jeans. Without a single word, Tony handed Peter over to Steve who held the small boy with one arm effortlessly. Tony sat down on the maroon colored office chair and turned on one of the numerous computer monitors in front of him, the white screen showed the Von Doom Corporation logo and it requested for username and password. He was able to recall what they were and he rapidly typed on the dusty keyboard and pushed the ‘enter’ button. Tony was grateful that the internet worked in certain levels in the mental institution, especially ones that are located in the upper floors. He accessed his email: [tstark@vondoomcorp.us.com](mailto:tstark@vondoomcorp.us.com).

Tony ignored the excessively amount of unread emails that were sitting in his inbox, he immediately opened his contact list and clicked on Miles Upshur. He knew that emails take up too much time and he needed to explain a lot of information to the journalist, he resolved to send Miles an invitation to a private video chat to his email: [milesupshur@gmail.com](mailto:milesupshur@gmail.com).

                “Have you reached him?” Steve asked as he saw Tony spin slightly around and held out his arms for Peter; Steve surrendered the curious child to his wife.

                “We can only wait now; I’m not sure how long it will take for him to respond.” Tony answered as he settled their son to sit on his lap comfortably; he also removed the blindfold from Peter.

 

It was nearing to four twenty-one as Steve leaned against the dented pale turquoise file cabinets with arms crossed against his brawny chest as his icy blue eyes darted swiftly around to try to detect the tiniest trace of danger nearby. Peter fell asleep out of boredom and exhaustion that he snuggled on Tony for his head to perch on his mother’s bosom that quietly rose and fell by the rhythm of his breathing. Tony coiled his left arm around the little boy’s waist and peered upward to look at the glaring screen, he saw on the corner with a quick message: _Miles Upshur has accepted your request_. The lovely brunette felt a little nervous and excited at the same time that he made a sharp whistle at Steve who instantly reacted to the noise and walked up to stand directly behind his seated wife.

                “He has accepted to speak with us.” Tony explained with a low volume as he tapped on the memo and set up to use the web camera.

                “No, just with you, he doesn’t know about ‘us’.” Steve corrected with a dismal tenor in his shaky voice as he gently placed his large hand on Tony’s right shoulder, to mildly knead the cold velour skin with his fingertips.

                “Well, he will now.” Tony remarked with reassurance as he hastily switched the settings to full screen, he raised his hand and squeezed Steve’s long fingers. Steve could not resist forming a small smile as he felt exultant that Tony is not ashamed of their marriage, Tony is certainly the true wife he has desired throughout these decades. The couple watched the black background of the computer suddenly assemble colored fragments and saw the investigative journalist for the first time. Miles Upshur looked about in his late twenties with messy brown short hair that almost appears raven black and with hard gray-blue eyes. He wore a brown work jacket with a white dress shirt underneath; the young man must be sitting down in his apartment since his bedroom was seen.

                “Holy crap, Tony Stark?! Everyone said you were dead!” Miles exclaimed with shock as he felt like he was communicating with a ghost or a dead human, it was so odd to receive this after all these years assuming the software engineer was gone.

                “I’m alive, as you can see. It’s thanks to my husband Steve for keeping me safe.” Tony replied as calmly as possible as he pointed at the blond.

                “Husband? How the hell does that even work—“

                “Well it has worked for the past three years, so stop being a nosy bastard and stop prying into our personal lives.” Steve growled madly as he was offended by Miles’s inability to see them as a legitimate couple, they were here for assistance, not for criticism.

                “I will when you stop being a delusional jackass!” Miles commented with a snap as it was already evident that Miles and Steve loathe one another by their fiery personalities.

                “Both of you just shut up, we have some real business to discuss.” Tony interrupted the violent feud as he saw their bitter rivalry pathetic and a waste of time.

                “Okay, then what’s going on here?” Miles questioned with a huff as he threw his arms up and slapped his rough hands on his lap.

                “Steve, our son Peter, and I need to escape from Mount Massive Asylum.”

                “Instead of contacting me, you should have gotten the cops down there.”

                “We can’t have them here, we have our reasons. I have worked here for ten years and I want this place and the Von Doom Corporation to be gone, terrible things has been done in this institution.” Tony clarified as he noticed how Miles seemed intrigued, seeing a potential story in this awful situation from a former employee of the wealthy company.

                “If that’s the case, do you have evidence? I mean I can use it to let the whole world know about the Von Doom Corporation’s naughty projects.”

                “Actually yeah, I have a camcorder. I could send the footage to you through the computer.”

                “All right, better hand it over.” Miles said as he noted how the muscular blond shook his head silently and took Tony by the arm to drag him away from the two of them from being heard. Tony balanced Peter on his hip and was relieved that the child was still in a deep slumber, but he was perplexed of why Steve pulled him to the corner of the chamber.

                “Something wrong Steve?”

                “Are you sure you want to send the evidence in such a way?” Steve inquired with a bit of angst as he realized that if Miles does not come personally to document the asylum, then Tony will be the Walrider’s next host instead.

                “It is faster—“

                “But it would be better if he comes here, my darling.”

                “I don’t get it, why?” Tony asked as he was confused, Steve was rattled badly by Father Martin’s warning that he had to convince Tony to make this choice without knowing about being a sacrifice. He needed to save Tony. He wanted Miles to take the downfall, though it is selfish and wrong, he cannot help but be so in love with his wife that he will commit any malicious act to preserve his spouse’s life.

                “I’m just making an assumption, what if the evidence gets damaged if you sent it like this?” Steve said as he did not know much of how computers work, but he would notice the doctors storing or forwarding their data in them when he was being tested.

                “Oh, I see where this is going…” Tony muttered as he tapped his index finger against his full ruby red lips. He was grateful for Steve mentioning such a vital point; it was too risky to send the footage through this particular line of the web. It is still under the Von Doom Corporation jurisdiction; the evidence can be intercepted and destroyed by anyone. It also includes that it would alert the authorities to arrest the three of them of improper conduct, slandering, and a few other major charges. This would separate their family, Tony would probably end up in federal prison, Peter might be sent to a foster home or an orphanage, and Steve will receive the death penalty.

                “All he has to do is record a little bit of this place and he could just leave, it’s simple.”

                “You might be right, Steve. It would be too much of a scandal. I mean it will only take a little while for Miles to record right?”

                “Yes, and it would be best if we didn’t tell him about the horrible things that are happening here, we don’t want to scare him off. I’m sure he’ll know the truth right away once he sees this place.” Steve explicated as he was putting his master plan in effect, to let Miles be lured to this madhouse by keeping him ignorant and fascinated of this quest.

                “Okay, I’ll let him know.” Tony concluded with an agreeable nod, he decided to listen to his husband who seemed to have the rational sense to dissect this circumstance. He returned to sit on the chair to look at an impatient Miles who had a slightly irritated expression on his youthful face.

                “So, are you gonna give me the footage or not?” Miles asked with a grumble as he leafed through a few loose papers that were near his fingers, it seemed he has a lot of work to do.

                “It’s better if you came over here and film it yourself.”

                “You expect me to drive all the way up there—“

                “Look, I know it sounds like an inconvenience, but Steve pointed out that it can get hacked, corrupted, and even land us in prison.” Tony interjected as he moved Peter gently to have his son rest in a cozier position.

                “When do you want me to come?”

                “Today, in the next two hours.”

                “Damn it, why does it have to be so immediate?” Miles protested with annoyance as he swept his paperwork off the surface of his desk, he did not expect this abrupt event in his schedule.

                “You don’t have any right to complain, we are desperate to get out of here. You cannot possibly imagine what we have been through, what I’ve been through!” Tony rebuked with a dash of belligerence as he cannot tolerate Miles’s lack of understanding and compassion. Steve was affected by the grief and hostility in his wife’s quavering vocals, he bend halfway forward letting his angular nose ruffle through the rich dark vines of Tony’s downy hair. Tony appreciated the fondness and empathy that Steve was displaying; it made him serene as he touched Steve’s cold cheek.

                “For god’s sake, all right I get it! I’ll go.” Miles relented with a frustrated sigh as he felt awkward of witnessing Stark’s homosexual relationship with this intimidating blond man. He was still trying to figure out how they had this child together, he wondered if they found the boy as an abandoned infant in this peculiar institution. Unfortunately, he will never believe them if he was told that Tony did get impregnated and conceived Peter.

                “Thank you; I’ll give you the directions.”

                “Yeah well, it’s part of my shitty job.”

                “Geez you have a potty mouth. You shouldn’t talk like that in front of my kid.” Tony scolded as he instantly clapped his palm over Peter’s ear who stirred and murmured on his mother’s lap, he was glad Peter is a heavy sleeper. He then typed out an email that had the address of Mount Massive Asylum and quickly sent it to Miles.

                “It’s not my problem. Anyway, I better head out now; it will take me a while to get there.”

                “Okay, well good luck.”

                “You guys too.” Miles concluded with a serious demeanor and exited out to gather his equipment and car keys, leaving a blank screen for the family to look at. Tony logged off of the computer. He slowly got up from the seat and adjusted Peter to have both of his arms around him and have his head settle on his collar bone. Steve was secretly overjoyed that Miles has decided to explore the interior of this establishment, he felt at ease that his wife won’t be pursued by the Walrider and become its human puppet.

                “Can I tell you how silly you really are?” Tony mentioned randomly as he faced his bewildered husband.

                “What do you mean, my darling?” Steve questioned as he heard Tony make a small chuckle out of amusement.

                “You really had nothing to be jealous about, I can hardly stand Miles.”

                “My assumption was definitely wrong, wasn’t it?”

                “Of course, he’s too crass for my taste. Besides, why have that when I have you.” Tony said with an alluring smile and pressed a sweet kiss on Steve’s mouth.

                “Thank you Tony, you don’t know how good that sounds to me.” Steve responded with a jolly grin and walked out of the room with his arm coiled around Tony’s curvy waist.

                “Oh believe me, I think I do know.” Tony uttered another hearty laugh as he watched Steve take out his knife from the pocket of his jeans and flicked it for the silver blade to pop out. They headed back to the safe house with Steve still acting like a professional bodyguard.

 

                It was approximately five o’clock in the early morning; Tony opened the cubby of the hickory drawer in the Victorian parlor and took out his prized camcorder. He tucked it in a messenger bag that held the blue folders of the _Confidential_ papers that are written about Steve Rogers, he did not want anyone to find such crucial information that would force his husband to undergo capital punishment. Tony noticed the disturbing hour of an imminent dusk, he examined passed the iron gray bars to see the nighttime vanishing by the lighter shades of color painted on the outside world. Mount Massive Asylum was beyond the line of stability and salvation, every concealed alcove has been ringing with the restless roars of Variants and the cracklings of violence and misery for the past eight hours. Tony was aware that Miles Upshur’s arrival in the madhouse has caused quite a commotion, he wondered if the investigative journalist was gone already or roaming through the frightening labyrinth of this unholy site. His pensive mood was cast away when he saw Peter and Steve stroll up to him with a solemn silence.

                “Mommy, is daddy right? Are we moving?” Peter inquired as he tightly held on a baby blue blanket in his curled fist; he was a little scared of the big change.

                “Yeah we are, to a better place. Somewhere you could play outside all day.” Tony reassured with a soft tenor strumming in his pleasant voice, he did not want to worry Peter and he did desire a peaceful environment to take care of him. Peter seemed content about the statement; he has never once stepped foot outdoors, sometimes he would stare longingly at the swaying branches of trees or the glitzy petals of spring flowers when wandering around in the household.

                “Whatever happens, if your mommy or I tell you to do something, be sure to do it.” Steve reminded as he took the familiar blindfold and covered Peter’s shiny almond brown eyes, he received a nod from their son. Tony took Peter’s warm blanket and wrapped it around the small boy to make it look like a cloak; he tied a knot underneath Peter’s petite chin.

                “I’m ready.” Peter announced as he was instantly scooped up by Tony who slung the bag over his left shoulder.

                “So Steve, how long will it take us to get out?”

                “We’re actually close to the entrance of the asylum; the Vocation Block has a furtive passageway that we can take that will lead us to the first floor in a matter of minutes.”

                “Ah, that’s great news!”

                “It is locked, but first we’ll retrieve the key I have hidden.” Steve mentioned as he still had his knife with the retractable blade in his pocket, he already opened the old door for the three of them to exit out. After the evening when Tony became “The Groom’s” bride, Steve hid his skeleton key that can open any door in his territory. To make sure that his new wife would not escape or run off, he locked the door that led to the entrance of the asylum so Tony would had no choice but to stay with him forever. Now it is the perfect time to take this route to freedom. They stepped into the gloomy obscurity of the first creaking hallway and stroll passed Steve’s filthy workshop that still held the rotting corpses of Variants and severed limbs hanging on the ceiling with rusty chains like holiday decorations. Soon, they entered the church chamber where Steve dragged Tony inside years ago in their wedding garbs; it was the site where they were pronounced man and wife. They strode onward upon the hoary yellowing strip of carpet, recalling the crunch of the dried up brown rose petals beneath their heels, and the crooked rows of worn-out chairs on both sides. The family climbed the single step on the altar and Steve stood to face the wooden cross that was on a small platform. Without a word, he punched through the timber in front of the base of the crucifix for splintered boards to leap and crack by the hardness of his knuckles. Steve reached inside the newly created hole and took out a glittering gold key and slipped it in his other pocket.

                “We’ll be out of here soon enough.” Steve said with an encouraging smile, seeing the radiant glimmer in Tony’s deep set chocolate eyes. He took Tony carefully by the side of his arm and led him out the site, storing away his memories into the recesses of his heart, still remembering how angelic Tony appeared in his snow white wedding gown and flowing veil.

They eventually arrived in the ruined gymnasium zone where naked bodies of the slaughtered Variants were tacked on the high ceiling, the trash infested floor had splatters of arid blood and a cluster of sharp steel poles that were drilled from the granite and their spiny tips stretched far and extended in different directions. However, they were taken by surprise when they saw three men wearing camouflage cargo pants and jackets, combat laced up boots, green helmets and dark masks that disguised their faces. The males each carried charcoal black guns, surrounding the family with the slick muzzles of the weapons pointed at them, they were from the U.S. Army. They barely became involved in this mission by the rumors of the private reporter entering a decaying house of lunacy and vanishing inside, never once stepping out of it again. The team of trained officers traced Miles’s location by the short email that Tony sent him with the asylum’s address, seeing it as suspicious activity between him and a cryptic source with a username that seemed to have once belonged to a specific software engineer.

                “Don’t move.” One of the men ordered with an aggressive tone as one of his companions took out a walkie-talkie and pressed down on one of the buttons since it was buzzing repeatedly.

                “Sir, we have found three—“

                “Contact for backup, we have taken Upshur down in the underground lab, but something has crawled into his body and we cannot contain it!” The fearful voice emitted from the gadget as there was a cacophony of strident screaming and gun shots were heard in the background.

Simultaneously, Steve and Tony looked at one another with startled expressions, both comprehending what has become of the brash private journalist. Tony was the one who was the most stunned by the news, he felt a wave of sympathy of realizing that Miles must have been trapped and forced to rove through the madhouse. He has seen enough horror to be possessed and transformed as the Walrider, so it must mean that Miles must have killed Billy Hope, the original host of the black nanites beast. Billy Hope was located in the discreet underground where the Morphogenic Engine is located, the precise area where Tony repaired the machine. Steve could only think about how the plot he clandestinely designed actually worked, Tony has delivered Miles the ‘Apostle’ to Father Martin by successfully convincing him to explore Mount Massive Asylum. Now he does not have to worry about Tony being the Walrider, but for the moment, he was trying to conjure an idea to take his family and escape from the clutches from the army men.

                “I don’t understand sir, is Upshur dead or not?!” The military official questioned with tension as one of the other males was studying Tony with incredulity who grasped Peter in his arms in a tighter lock.

                “What the fu—“The statement was interrupted by an earsplitting shriek and the only noise that was heard was the eerie scratch of static. The soldier cursed madly and hooked the walkie-talkie back on his belt.

                “Oh my god, you’re Tony Stark from the files! It said you died here!” The third army man who was observing the astonished brunette earlier recognized him as they all were shocked by the discovery, especially seeing this male wearing a soft gown and carrying a child as if he was a woman. Before all the squad members charged into this evil dwelling, they had to briefly scan through a few profiles of former employees and the Variants in Mount Massive Asylum. They had to research and read about a synopsis of Tony when they tapped into Miles’s inbox and found Tony’s small message and his email address, thinking there must be some sort of connection to Miles’s disappearance. However, the papers have mentioned that it was believed that Tony has been struck down by one of the patients during the evacuation process of the mental institution and his body was never found.

                “Mr. Stark, come with us, we’ll take you and the boy out of here.” Another soldier coaxed as he gestured to join them with a gloved hand, they had the feeling they could not trust Steve by the malicious glint in his ice blue eyes. They were warned earlier by their leader about a golden haired demon that lived downstairs, they had access to the company’s database to learn that Steve is one of the psychologically unstable patients with a divided personality who had a sick obsession of searching a bride to love by putting many of his victims to death. The hanging carcasses overhead were proof enough.

                “No, I’m not leaving without my husband!” Tony yelled out vehemently as he took one step back to draw closer to Steve and felt his lover grip the ivory skin of his forearm.

                “Get away from him, he’s dangerous!” All three were astounded and befuddled of Tony’s refusal to be rescued, they could only guess that Tony was a hostage in dire need for help, but he is powerless under the tyranny of this Variant. They believed that Tony was suffering from a panic attack or an emotional breakdown for him to spout out nonsense that this psychotic murderer is his spouse.

                “You three are the only ones in danger, Tony is safe with me.” Steve made an animalistic rumble in his throat, he felt the tiny hairs on the nape of his neck stiffen like an incited pit bull. He effortlessly swerved his wife to stand behind him with his arm for them to take shelter by his shadow and physical body. Steve detected the menacing sound of the snap of safety locks being undone as the army soldiers directed the noses of the guns to aim at him in different spots so they would not accidently shoot Tony and Peter by mistake. However, he already had a strategy to follow in his scheming brain, he rapidly circled around the armed men to leave his wife and child for the moment and draw all the attention on him. Steve hurriedly grabbed a swarm of black wires that are tied on the ceiling beams and slumped on the shafts of the rigid poles on the ground. He flicked the rugged ropes and in a blink of an eye, the rough threads coiled around their exposed gullets and with a sharp tug, they began to choke by the bruising grapple. Tony watched with a mixture of awe and alarm when seeing Steve started jerking back to roll in the filaments with his clenched fists to force the firearms from the soldiers to clatter down from their shuddering hands. The army officers were heaved upward as if they were in the gallows of a primitive village, they did not surrender easily since they were lashing and kicking furiously.

                “Damn it, hold still!” Steve barked out with his cerulean blue eyes hardening like daggers as he continued to yank fiercely. Tony gulped heavily when he glanced up to see the supporting lumber on the ceiling was cracking by the combined weight of the military men, and the end of the rope was questionably located near Steve’s heels. The scared brunette barely registered in his mind that this was a dreadful idea for Steve to put into action.

                “Steve, no! Don’t—“Tony bellowed out with a high pitch which made Peter jolt upward in surprise, Tony ran forward to have his right hand scarcely tap on the top of Steve’s shoulder, but it was too late. The army officers were suffocated to death making their bodies limp and become motionless, however; due to their collected mass it became too hefty to maintain that the oak spine shattered a bit. Tony was pale and dreading the next second, he tried to reach for Steve; unfortunately his rashness made him trip and fall on his knees. Luckily, Peter did not tumble out of the safety of his arm since he kept a firm hold on him; Tony remained on his spot with a desperate hand stretching out. The carcasses jumbled down to hit the grubby floor, forcing Steve to lose his grip and for the wire to slip from his coarse hands, making its end snake around one of Steve’s ankles. Steve instead was hoisted upward for the rope to tangle around his legs and the midriff of his fit stomach. He roared out a deafening yap when he was suspended in midair and then his body rolled to land in the middle of the upright spikes, and one of them stabbed him through his left flank. Steve grasped Tony’s open hand, Tony was kneeling in front of the agonizing sight of his husband quavering viciously in the tight binds of the threads and the iron-gray spiral pole jabbed in deeply to create a gory hole that leaked out a stream of hot blood.

                “We were…beautiful…weren’t we, my darling…” Steve coughed up as he put so much effort to sketch out a smile on his full lips that were stained with the rivets of crimson liquid; he squeezed Tony’s buttermilk hand intensely. He locked his oceanic shimmering blue eyes onto his wife’s honey russet irises.

                “Stop talking like this, just don’t.” Tony choked on a sob as he felt his eye sockets swell with the sheen of salty water, the pure crystal tears trickled down the pallid arcs of his cheek bones as he refused to release his grapple on Steve. Peter was squirming a bit and was upset by the odd noises; he did not know what was happening.

                “Take the key from my pocket, and go.”

                “I won’t let you die!” Tony cried out with a mix of sorrow and frustration, ignoring Steve’s request, he gently set Peter to sit on the ground as he continued to grip Steve’s calloused palm, because if he released him, Steve would be hung upside down with the crusty spear shoved inside of him further to cause an instant death blow.

                “Mommy, what’s going on?” Peter could not help but ask with his small voice quivering.

                “Everything is gonna be fine, sweetie. Just stay there.”

Tony slowly got up and drew closer to the base of the spiked structure; he fished in the pocket of Steve’s denim jeans to take out the knife, flipping it for the blade to spring out. He extended his arm to make hasty slashes through the cords to free Steve’s legs and his wide waistline. Steve immediately froze his body to withdraw his limbs, making both his hands seize the pole and cautiously slithered out of it. He groaned of the agony as the penetrating tip slid out of his wounded side with a squelching sound, Steve threw himself aside for his back to plummet against the concrete, puffing loudly and gritting his teeth.

                “You horrible man, you almost made me believe that I was going to lose you.” Tony reprimanded with a hush whisper as he crouched down to settle next to Steve. He refolded the knife and put it back in Steve’s pants pocket, and hurriedly ripped open Steve’s blemished shirt for the transparent buttons to pop and disperse, revealing his well-built chest.

                “I was willing to die for you and Peter.” Steve mumbled weakly as he noticed how Tony was scrutinizing the medium sized gap that the spiral spear created. Tony was able to tell that the laceration was not too serious, with good fortunate; it pierced Steve in between the ribs so none of the bones were fractured.

                “I find no use in a dead husband and father.” Tony replied with a poignant smile as he was trying to lighten the situation and to prevent himself from drenching his lovely visage with more azure beads of water. He thought Steve was going to die, he finally felt the true meaning of fear. Tony took a hold of the hem of his black dress and tore it, taking out a large portion, making the skirt cuddle around his juicy thighs.

                “I’m sorry—“

                “Don’t be, you’re alive…that’s all that matters to me.”

                “Daddy?” Peter spoke up as he was wondering if his father was still present.

                “I got hurt, but I’ll be okay, Peter.” Steve told the truth as he struggled a bit while sitting up, he felt his wife wrap the thick fabric from his shredded skirt around his entire six-pack abdomen to cover the gruesome gash. Tony tied it tightly to concentrate the pressure on the lesion as the dark material began soaking up the warm ruby red fluid.

                “I want to go to the new home, are we there yet?” Peter inquired as he was shaking like an autumn leaf; it rattled him badly of hearing that one of his parents got injured, he wanted all of them to be in the outside world already where it seems safer.

                “Soon enough, sweetie.” Tony answered as he picked up Peter, balancing him on his hip and assisted Steve to his feet, making his husband lean on him and coil his arm around his waist.

                “Just go through there.” Steve mentioned as he pointed to the pair of open double doors where the military men rushed from to ambush them, he uttered a tiny whine and placed his hand on his moist wound, feeling a few twinges erupt from it. Tony obeyed and walked onward supporting his damaged husband and carrying their precious son, they entered a dim lighted hall with a grimy old bucket sitting near a crumbling wall that lead to a different section of the asylum. The three approached a corroded wire fenced door with a blaring red sign that said “Exit” above it, wordlessly Steve took out the shiny gold key and thrust it into the keyhole, twisting it to hear the clink and whirl of the mechanism being unraveled. He tossed the skeleton key aside, letting it jingle against the stony floor, no longer having any use of it. The door was swung open for the family to travel through a lengthy obscure passageway until they saw a small sign on the faded façade that read: _Male Ward_.

They made sharp turns to pass by closed doors and old-fashioned portraits of the esteemed physicians of the institution until they decided to go inside through a lone pepper-gray door that Steve gestured to. The three entered the dreary extensive corridor with enormous window frames located on the left side; each of them had sooty glass barriers. The exhausted family peered through the first to see the near rise of the morning sun, with the dead black ebony branches of trees stretching and the ominous silhouettes of the other buildings of Mount Massive Asylum. However, what made them stunned and perplexed was the grisly sight of the chapel’s roof and erect crucifix were burning with scarlet-orange flames, the chalky smoke spread to make the atmosphere more ghastly. Steve shook his head dejectedly as his sea blue irises swallowed the rubicund dye of the wrathful fire, recalling that he use to visit that petite church to pray for a wife to love and marry. _Father Martin_ …Steve was only able to think of the false preacher’s name, he assumed it had to be him who started the hellish blaze to engulf the holy site, but he was not certain why he would do this. The Variant was a counterfeit priest, but Steve was a bit despondent of Father Martin’s death, because he was quite kind to him and even prayed for him to someday have a lover. Father Martin must have a reason to die, but Steve felt there are many suppositions to form, was it a form of worship for the Walrider or was it an act of suicide?

                “What could have caused that?” Tony questioned softly as he was so sick of seeing destruction, he felt Steve lightly poke Tony on the shallow gap of his hip joint, notifying him that they needed to continue their journey.

                “We better be on our way.” Steve said with an austere tenor as they trekked through the dark throat of the path. The battered blond informed Tony to head north, they soon approached a gated door with no keyhole; they peeked through the metallic slabs to see a lighted chamber with three army men surrounding an unmoving body on the tile ground.

                “Yeah, what kind of sick bastard would do this to somebody? Even took his damn pants.” The male with the flashlight commented with distaste.

                “Tell you one thing, I’ve seen more of enough dick and balls tonight to last me a lifetime.”

                “And not all of them attached to a man. Let’s wrap this up and go.” Another soldier concluded with a scowl as they walked away to disappear into the cold sinister darkness. The silent family circled around the perimeter to trample inside the zone to examine the carcass that lied on the checkered black-and-white floor.

                “Richard Trager, he’s another Variant I didn’t get along with.” Steve clarified as he made a wry smile, he predicted this other psycho to have died eventually, and he finally did.

Tony joggled a bit when Steve revealed the corpse’s name; Tony knows Trager, but not all that well. The puzzled brunette analyzed him since it is the first time he has ever physically seen him. Trager appeared bony and withered; he is partially bald with wisps of scraggy gray hair, a tattered mask with a steam-punk style pair of monocles. He has only heard of Trager because of finding a note with his signature on his office desk one day, it was a letter addressed to Tony’s former boss and Tony had to give it to him, it was an informal invitation to play golf and drink a couple of martinis. Tony knew Trager was the former executive of the Research Department. However, Steve was acquainted with Trager when dominant Variants like themselves were drawing their boundaries, deciding which region belonged to whom and vowing to slay one another if they cross one another’s territories. Naturally, Trager kept most of the upper floors and Steve possessed the entire downstairs. Trager always thought Steve was a fool for being disillusioned and obsessed by the idea of romance and matrimony. Meanwhile, Steve believed that Trager was a repulsive idiot for squandering his time by experimenting on patients, and learn about biology; Trager was nothing but a phony surgeon.

                “So you knew him too?” Tony asked as he glanced at his husband who nodded his head with a sardonic expression.

                “We hated each other, simple as that.”

                “I’ve only heard of him, he was friends with my old boss.”

                “He was just as crazy as the rest of us; he loved to cut people up.” Steve mentioned as Tony inspected the upper torso of Trager, seeing it mashed and frayed as if something powerful crushed his diaphragm.

                “We should go.” Tony resolved as he did not want to be near Trager’s body any longer and he was a bit concerned since Peter has been quaking for quite a while. They slunk past the broken elevator shaft that was stuck in between levels with its dented scissor patterned gate.

The family plodded through more empty hallways for thirty minutes, until they wandered into the last corridor, passing by bathrooms and offices that once belonged to the employees of the Von Doom Corporation. They soon found a flight of stairs and they climbed down the steps, and crossed over the immense chamber to see it is the first floor of the mental institution. It was the lobby, filled with a deathly tranquility and with pale colors of vermillion and brown. The rickety chandelier overhead swung with a creaky sound with its orbs having an absence of artificial light, there was the abandoned oak reception desk with shards of broken glass splattered on the beige strip of carpet. There were overturned and fragmented furniture with pools of dry blood and the tainted corpses of former workers. The three headed over to the open doors of the exit, it seemed surreal when they could trace the rays of sunlight. They finally went out of the asylum at last passing under a stoned arch, immediately their eyes squinted of the incredible gleam from the sun. All of them clambered down the low steps seeing three military vehicles parked on the sides, they breathed in the ashy air and felt the warm light bathe their weary bodies. They strolled down a cobblestone roadway with thorny bushes and shriveled plants lay on both flanks of the trail, feeling the relief of going to the parking lot entrance, seeing the barrier system and the security box. Instantly, they spotted a red 1987 Jeep Wrangler YJ sitting near the tiny gray structure for the company’s guards. Tony let go of Steve for a few seconds to open the car door and gesture Steve to get inside, Steve slid across to sit on the passenger seat and hook on his seat belt, and Tony handed Peter to Steve who seated their son on his lap. The brunette peeled off the strap of his messenger bag and tossed it in the backseat; he sat on the driver’s chair and closed the door of the car and slung on his seat belt.

                “Who does this belong to?” Steve inquired as he was a bit amazed and baffled of seeing and being in a ‘modern’ car than the ones he was used to seeing in the 1940’s. Tony noticed a vanilla white folder sitting in between them, he picked it and flipped it open, he fingered through a few typed papers until he saw one that had the asylum’s address, seeing it is the email exchange between him and Miles Upshur.

                “This is Miles’s car.” Tony answered with despondency as he closed the file and set down on its original place, he still felt guilty for pressuring Miles to come to this wretched location, he never thought that the private journalist would have to endure through the despicable madhouse.

Suddenly, Tony felt a raw pang against his temples; he slightly trembled and peered upward through the windshield. He squawked out an aching moan and felt his vision flash with blinding hues of orange and candy yellow, he tried to concentrate and saw a dark baleful cloud on the paved walkway near the army automobiles. Tony was not the only one who saw it, Steve was able to see it as well, and he felt his cobalt blue eyes broaden out of fraught. The married couple focused enough to see a clearer image, it was still blurry, but they saw the figure of a man clothed in a jacket and jeans, entirely made out of swarming black nanites, he was surrounded with crunchy leaves that spiraled around him…it was the Walrider. Tony instantly turned on the ignition with the key that was already in the slot, he grasped the gear shift and tried to move it, but it wouldn’t budge.

                “Oh god, no, this can’t be happening…!” Tony said in a panic as Steve held Peter closer to his chest and away from his bloody wound, feeling the anxiety rise since his wife is the only one able to handle cars of this era.

                “Damn it, he’s coming after us!” Steve declared as he bared his fangs when they saw how the shadowy smog floated rapidly through the airstreams and shot straight at them. They felt the extraordinary pound of the dark wind hit against the jeep, making them thump back to hit their heads against the seats. Tony felt his heart skip into a lively beat when he was able to shove the gear shift forward, the impact from the Walrider must have loosened it. He slammed his foot on the gas pedal and drove straight, but then he made a sharp turn to the left with his hands twirling the wheel to face the closed skinny bars of the iron gates. Tony thought he could just try to ram through the tall metallic fence as he put more speed on the car, but he was shocked when he noted something. Just when he believed that the jeep’s front was going to slam against the divider, he saw the obscure mist swiftly glide pass the vehicle, shattered the lock, and parted the metal gate. The red jeep stormed out with a strange push from the fog of nanites, it zoomed away to leave the deserted Mount Massive Asylum, with Tony having a single thought with his cerise red lips outlining a grateful smile: _Thank you Miles, for that push…you have freed us…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the last chapter, don't you worry! We still need to know how the family is.


	11. A Place to Belong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few problems arise during Steve's and Tony's mission to find a quiet place to live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 11, hope you enjoy!

       It was eight in the early morning as the red 1987 Jeep Wrangler YJ trekked through the lone dirt pathway of the mountain pass. The brilliant vermillion-yellow rays of the sun seeped through the canopy of evergreen leaves of the lofty trees that stood proudly on both sides of the silent road. Tony Stark-Rogers gripped the black steering wheel and kept one foot on the gas pedal, making the car move in a steady velocity. He can no longer see the sinister peaks and cold marble buildings of Mount Massive Asylum, including the lashing tomato red fire that was engulfing the doomed chapel. The family of three was finally separated from the gloom and horror of the madhouse, with the jeep driving downhill and exiting out of the fissures of the rugged mountain. Tony made a long shuddering breath when he turned to the right and saw how they were journeying across a cemented highway, notifying him that it is the first sign of civilization. The white dash lines on the blackened trail lied underneath the zooming vehicle and metallic green posts were seen, indicating the nearest towns and how many miles were left to arrive. About an hour ago, Steve Rogers removed the dark blindfold from Peter and the baby blue blanket that shielded his head, to let him have his view of the new world, to study the outside, far from the sooty walls and haunting hallways of his birthplace. Peter has not stopped peering out of the window, pressing his small hands against the glass with his mouth forming into a wide smile of the natural beauty of the earth. He continued to sit on his father’s lap to see a few farming fields with their lush verdant grass and the strange sea of tar that was beneath the rolling rubber wheels of the jeep. No one has spoken a word for about two hours due to the strenuous events that occurred in such a little amount of time. Steve had his right arm around Peter’s tummy to prevent his child from hitting against the panel; he made a few discreet glances at his quiet wife. He examined Tony, seeing how his usual rosy blushing cheeks were substituted with sprinkles of dead ashes and his supple skin appeared pallor and frigid like a mourning ghost. The dire escape from their old home seemed to have greatly affected Tony; he seemed to be still frightened of the last remaining moments in such an inferno. Steve was a bit nervous of the thought that the Walrider could have possessed each of them and forced them to die, let his cloudy body worm inside and causing them to implode in the end. However, the fear has subsided when he relished on his personal victory, he will never repent for his treacherous act. He was overly zealous of how Miles Upshur took the downfall and is now the Walrider, thus resulting for his beloved lover to be saved. Meanwhile, as Steve felt content of the private journalist’s unwilling sacrifice, his speechless spouse did not share the same sentiments, considering he is not aware that his own husband secretly manipulated Miles to be the Walrider’s new host. Tony looked ahead with bleak chocolate eyes that hardly blinked or glistened, he still could not fathom that he was finally out of that hellhole, it has been approximately three years and he was free from his prison. He was dismayed of how Miles received the bitter part of the deal, he felt partially responsible for his fate, since he was the one who requested him to explore the darkness of the asylum and go through an awful experience similar to his. Tony exhaled heavily and felt his salmon pink lips tighten together. His negative self-reflection was interjected when he felt a large hand grasp his shaky shoulder; the burning warmth slowly expelled the iciness from his smooth epidermis.

                “Will you be okay, Tony?” Steve asked with a gentle tone in his soothing voice, he watched how Tony made a hard swallow and nodded his head.

                “Yeah, it’s just I’m trying to convince myself that this whole thing is real.” Tony answered with a bit of difficulty since he sounded apprehensive; he clasped his hand over Steve’s that continued to rub the ridge of his shoulder.

                “Very much so, my darling…we’re out of the asylum at last.”

                “I never want to go back there ever again, or even think about it.”

                “You won’t have to, not when we have a new life ahead of us.” Steve reassured with his pleasing vocals dropping a notch to make him sound deeper and mesmerizing.

                “I’m still trying to think of a place we could settle down in.” Tony mentioned as he made a slight sniffling noise. He had no desire to further discuss about the madhouse since it was making unshed tears of relief accumulate in his eye sockets. Tony knew that he cannot take his husband and child to his apartment. He used to live in California, which was before he made a trip to Mount Massive Asylum to work in his new job for the Von Doom Corporation. He no longer had a home, especially of the fact that he was missing for years. The realtors might have sold his residence to other customers, making Tony seem like he no longer existed in society. They must stay in a region where they would not raise any suspicion or alert the attention of both citizens and the military, because Mount Massive Asylum still held the records of Steve being mentally ill and being guilty of committing homicide in multiple instances. While Tony pondered a few seconds of the current issues, he felt Steve’s hand quickly slip away from his. Tony peeked at Steve who immediately grunted uncomfortably as he clutched his wound on his rib cage area; Peter twisted around and observed the laceration that was still cloaked with the long black skirt from Tony’s dress.

                “Daddy, does it still hurt?” Peter questioned worriedly as Tony appeared upset and close to panicking.

                “The pain is not going away…” Steve muttered with a tired sigh as his brawny chest began to rise and fall in a hasty tempo.

                “Then we should get you to a hospital—“Tony began as he remembered seeing a sign that said that the nearest clinic is about two miles away.

                “No, never! You’re not putting me back in that kind of place.” Steve interrupted with a mixture of anxiety and fury; he refused to be in a building that functions similarly like the asylum, with the horrible possibility that he will forever be trapped and tested. Tony realized that Steve was making the situation even more complicated, but he understood that Steve has developed distrust for any medical institution after all the terrible experimentation he endured in the past. However, he recalled that Steve has been pierced by a tarnished pole; the rust must have infected the puncture to have the neurotoxin _tetanospasmin_ form in his interior. The contaminant can cause a person to get convulsions and muscle spasms that can fracture the spinal cord, which would result in an inevitable death. The only cure for it is tetanus immune globulin, the injection is the only solution to prevent the tetanus infection and from getting severe constrictions. Steve has a strong immune system, so he will have at least an hour before the neurotoxin releases and taints him; his body was trying to resist it. Tony can only get the vaccination from a medical center, which means they had no choice but to go to the infirmary, he was not going to let his husband die, not when they just barely made it out of Mount Massive Asylum. However, he was going to respect Steve’s wishes and not drag him into the clinic, instead he’ll go inside and get that inoculation himself.

 

After a few minutes, Tony parked the jeep in the parking lot of the hospital grounds of a small pleasant town; he turned off the ignition and unclipped the gray seat belt. Tony popped open the door to step outdoors, Steve handed Tony their son to carry with him, as he slouched against the passenger chair with a sharp wince. Steve did not want Tony and Peter to venture alone without his protection, but his wife ordered him to remain in the car to try to get some rest, he was in no condition to do any laborious activity.

                “I don’t like it, the idea of you two going into a place like this.” Steve remarked with austerity and paranoia, Tony touched Steve’s forehead with his finger tips and felt the scorch of an awakened fever.

                “Don’t you worry; it’s not that kind of hospital. Just stay here.” Tony commanded with a firm tenor as he was concerned of Steve’s weakened state; he knew he had to hurry with his mission. He left the keys on the keyhole and closed the car door, he blew a kiss at Steve and walked away to enter the huge building. Steve screwed his shimmering cobalt blue eyes shut; he tilted his head back and massaged his sore temples with his index forefinger, feeling the unbearable twinges on his gory gash began to throb relentlessly.

Within the clinic, Tony held Peter in his arms to cross over the glossy beige linoleum, the crackle of gurney wheels squeaked and rolled on the floor, the bitter scent of prescription drugs spread and cluttered in silver basins for weighing. The stale odor of anesthetics, the unwinding of wires and the grating sounds of pens writing on clipboards were part of the hideous orchestra under the few announcements from a scratchy intercom. Tony strolled over to the enormous oak desk, he stood in front of it to make the receptionist notice him, and she was surprised when seeing this exhausted gentleman in a raven black short gown and cradling a three year old in his slim muscled arms.

                “May I help you, sir?” She asked civilly as she was still stunned of seeing a man in a female outfit, she was tempted to direct him to the psychiatric ward to offer him any assistance to resolve for any identity or gender confusion.

                “I was wondering if you can tell me where the bathroom is, my son has to go.” Tony lied as he could feel a large swarm of judgmental eyes scan him; everyone can see him wearing his cut dress.

                “Umm sure, it’s just right over there.” She pointed to the right hallway; Tony nodded out of appreciation and followed her directions. Once he was out of sight, he took a detour and found a few elevators and a few split corridors that led to chambers that are restricted with the exception of doctors and nurses, the only spots where he can access the necessary drug for his husband.

                “Mommy, I don’t need to go.” Peter spoke up as he wrapped his arms around Tony’s neck, they approached a random door.

                “I know honey; I only said that so we can get daddy’s medicine.” Tony replied as he turned the brass knob to go inside the mysterious dim lighted room, which happened to be a wide storage closet. It was filled with wheelchairs, wired shelves that held clean sheets, latex gloves, surgical tape, surgery equipment, and other materials.

                “Is daddy sick again?” Peter inquired as he was set down to stand on the clean ground for a while, he watched his mother search through the unsealed boxes and other items.

                “Yes, but when we give him some medicine, he’ll be fine.”

                “Is it in here?”

                “No, sweetie, we have to get it somewhere else.” Tony responded as he pulled out a Candy Striper uniform from one of the cartons, usually female volunteers would don on this costume. Their duties involved cleaning, visiting patients to bring cheerfulness, and most importantly they transport and handle the prescriptions. Tony decided that it would be a good idea to disguise himself as a nurse, that way he can get the injection he needs for Steve. He unzipped his tattered dark frock to remain in his lacy ink black bra and panties; he switched to clothe himself in a red-and-white striped dress that paused above his knees with pockets in front of its skirt, with thick straps on his snowy white shoulders. Tony also slipped into a pair of milky white stockings with ruffled bands and matching three inched high heels. He picked up his shabby gown and slung it over his arm; he could not throw it away into the trash bin since he did not want to be caught by any of the employees and especially the police for stealing in a clinic. Tony completed his masquerade by snatching a surgical mask from a torn plastic bag; he tied the strings to cover the entire lower half of his face to hide his shadowy facial hair.

                “You look pretty, mommy.” Peter complimented as he was fascinate by the colors, Tony made a few muffles of laughter as he carried his son again.

                “Thank you, I can see that you flirt a lot like your daddy.” Tony said as he swung the door open for them to exit out of the stuffy closet. He found himself wandering through the eggshell white halls, passing through the numbered doors and dodging the occupied physicians. Tony was not certain where he was going to find his destination when this entire establishment is vast in size; he stopped a moment to skim down a framed board that was written out with the names of various districts in the hospital.

                “You there, nurse!”

Tony spun around by the tips of his heels and saw a handsome sandy haired doctor approach him; he had on sensible tan khakis and an unwrinkled dress shirt and navy blue tie underneath his tidy lab coat. He was quite tall and he gripped a bland folder in his curled fist, he towered over Tony by about six inches and was wearing a petite nametag that read: Dr. Lukas.

                “Yes?” Tony merely reacted as he silently prayed that he won’t be discovered, he found it ridiculous that he has suffered and survived through the appalling trials of a madhouse but cannot seem to handle a simple task such as this.

                “What are you doing with that child?”

                “Oh, I’m babysitting. He’s my nephew.” Tony forced himself to speak in a higher pitch to sound like a girl, he was just glad that he has always been quick-witted.

                “Never mind that, I need you to come with me and deliver both a Corticosteroid and a Tetanus injection. One is for reducing the swelling for a patient’s knee, and the other is for another patient to not extract any disease or infection from bacteria.” Dr. Lukas explained as he grabbed Tony by the crook of his arm to tug him into another passage. Tony felt himself perk up when the medical official mentioned the specific vaccine that Steve needs to heal, he was actually thrilled that Dr. Lukas found him. They soon went inside one of the backrooms where the physicians prepare the shots and pills for the patients, Dr. Lukas scouted through countless cubbies until he yanked out two of them in the same cabinet. He took out the labeled injections and placed them in a small pea-green tray, along with a few packets of sterilize saline wipes. Dr. Lukas wordlessly held the plate and gestured to Tony to follow him; they walked side-by-side for a while until they arrived at door number 188.

                “You might want to leave the little tyke outside for a second; I don’t think he would want to see the injections.” Dr. Lukas advised with a chuckle as he proceeded inside the room while Tony placed Peter down to sit against the flat boring wall.

                “Wait here for a little bit, I’m going to get daddy’s medicine right now.” Tony said as he tousled through Peter’s unkempt tresses, he settled his ripped dress to drape over Peter’s legs to operate like a blanket.

                “Hurry mommy, I want daddy to get better.” Peter replied as he hugged his knees, Tony nodded and went in the chamber to find Dr. Lukas set the plastic platter on the charcoal black countertop near the silver sink. Tony jogged up to the elite physician for his high heels to click against the shiny tile; he stood in front of the attractive doctor, with the injections in between them, lying motionless on the spotless counter.

                “So, Dr. Lukas, where is the patient?” Tony questioned in his phony but alluring voice, as he would sneak a couple of glances at the Tetanus vaccine, pressured to pilfer it.

                “Currently, he is in the bathroom, but he should be out any moment now.”

                “Well, all right.”

                “Are you new, because this is the first time I’ve seen you.”

                “Ah—umm—yes, I just started today.”

                “I see, that can explain it.” Dr. Lukas mentioned inexplicably as he made a swift glimpse at his golden watch.

                “Explain what?”

                “The new ones are usually pretty girls like you.”

                “Oh! Uh, thank you, Dr. Lukas.” Tony responded with fake gratefulness as he could not believe that he has yet again fooled another man to think he is a beautiful woman, Steve was obviously the first.

                “Do you have a boyfriend?” Dr. Lukas queried with a stimulated rumble in his throat, he rotated around to press his body against Tony, making the poor brunette get shoved backwards for his lower back to nudge on the rim of the coal black surface of the countertop. Dr. Lukas seized Tony by the nicely arched slopes of his lovely hips; he was bewitched of the glimmering light of Tony’s hazel brown irises.

                “No, I actually—“Tony stammered with a bit of dread and tension, as he made a hush gasp of surprise when he felt the doctor’s right hand scamper down to hitch up the skirt of his uniform.

                “The shy ones are always the sexiest. I’ll take good care of you.” Dr. Lukas uttered a lusty growl as his big hand meandered upward to knead the velvet ample skin, he squeezed Tony’s buttermilk thigh with a perverse grin. Tony immediately lifted his left knee and slammed it hard on the physician’s testicles out of irritation and anger. Dr. Lukas made a bloodcurdling scream of the devastating impact and collapsed on the linoleum, and he curled up like a pathetic fetus and howled nonstop of the agony. Tony took the chance to tuck the sterilized wipe packets and the capped Tetanus vaccine in one of his pockets.

                “I’m married, you bastard.” Tony addressed his last message to Dr. Lukas with spite, the doctor was fortunate that Steve wasn’t here, because he would have heartlessly murdered him within a nanosecond. Tony swiftly ran out of room 188 and scooped up his son in the fold of his arms; he clambered down the echoing hallways and tried to locate the exit.

                “Did you get it, mommy?” Peter asked as he gripped one of the straps of Tony’s vivacious frock, Tony was beginning to slow down his pace in order to not raise any skepticism among the people in the clinic.

                “Yeah, we’re going to give it to daddy right now.” Tony said with a shivering breath as he tried to recover his tranquility and put distance between him and from the dangerous hunger of Dr. Lukas. Tony soon returned back to the lobby where he saw the receptionist was occupied by a few visitors checking in to see their sick relatives. He was thankful that she was surrounded by a horde of fretful guests so he can calmly walk out of the automatic glass doors that parted for him and Peter to climb down a few limestone steps and trudge through the parking lot that was half-filled with vehicles. Tony reached the blood red Jeep Wrangler and thrust the car door open; he shifted onto the driver chair and placed Peter in the backseat where the messenger bag is, still holding the camcorder and _Confidential_ papers of his psychotic husband. He saw Steve stare at him with his twinkling cerulean blue eyes blinking rapidly in disbelief while he untied the knot from his surgical mask and eradicated it, for it to dangle around his elegant neck.

                “Tony, what are you—“Steve began with astonishment as he appeared a bit feeble and his limbs were starting to quake of the hurtful stings that were rippling across his flesh.

                “I have no time to explain!” Tony declared in a rush as he was still uneasy about Steve’s welfare. He revolved around to straddle Steve’s lap and strip off his entire blemished light gray shirt to limp on the shoal of the seat. Steve felt a few salty droplets of sweat pool around the breach of his collar bone as he grappled his damaged flank for his dull nails to dig into the thick fabric of Tony’s shredded skirt. He made a rough groan of how the anguish was beginning to increase. Tony took out a medical packet and ripped it with a jerk from his pearly teeth; he dragged out the moist cloth and scrubbed it on the solid bulk of the side of Steve’s left shoulder. Without warning, he shielded Steve’s eyes with his palm and got out the Tetanus vaccine; he unscrewed it with the clench of his molars and spat the plastic cylinder out. Tony inserted the silver needle of the injection to dive into the wet area of Steve’s epidermis, the spiny tip spilled in the antibiotics, Tony made sure every last transparent drop was used. He could not let Steve see the inoculation, because it would make him aggressive and recall the atrocious days when the asylum researchers would try to drug or draw out his blood for analysis. Tony removed the empty immunization and let it fall to tumble down between Steve’s feet; he withdrew his hand to let Steve see again. Steve released a slow winding exhale as his heart rate was starting to beat in a regular rhythm. It was noted how he coiled his sturdy arms around Tony’s curvy waistline and rested the crest of his forehead against the center of his wife’s fit belly.

                “You made it, just in time.” Steve proclaimed in a low volume, he was appreciative that Tony never gave up on him, presenting more proof that his spouse is faithful and loving.

                “I’m just glad you’re going to be okay.” Tony whispered softly with a small smile, his scarlet red lips brushed against the golden tendrils of Steve’s lustrous hair. He rejoiced of the notion that he was able to avert the neurotoxin from dispersing inside the networks of Steve’s body, relieved that he and Peter won’t be abandoned to fight the world alone. Steve leaned back to look up at the gorgeous visage of his loyal wife, he glided his large hand to touch Tony’s smooth lower back, placing weight upon it to prod Tony to tip forward. Tony felt Steve capture his velour lips by the spring of his appetizing mouth; Tony tilted his head to feel the passionate stroke and allow Steve to swallow his sweet nectarous flavor.

                “Eww, are you eating each other?” Peter injected loudly to force the parents to quickly separate their ravenous maws; they usually hide their affectionate gestures from their son so he wouldn’t be disgusted.

                “No, and there is nothing gross about it.” Steve answered with an amused snicker. He saw how Tony got off of his legs and slid across to sit correctly on the driver seat, with his beatific mien flushed into a mortifying pink. Peter wiggled between the middle of the two front chairs to scramble onto his father’s unoccupied lap; he seemed slightly repulsed for witnessing the intimate action.

                “It looks yucky.”

                “When you grow up and marry a beautiful girl like your mother, you’ll understand.”

                “I don’t get it.”

                “It’s okay; anything your daddy says never makes sense.” Tony replied as he hooked his seatbelt on, shaking his head. Before he could wonder where they should drive to next, he noticed how the glove compartment of the car was open by a crack. Tony reached out and hauled it downward to reveal a stack of loose papers and leather planners; he was disappointed that he did not find anything vital.

                “Looking for something?” Steve inquired with a mystifying tone as he cocked his right light eyebrow up.

                “I thought there might be something that could help us—“

                “There is.”

                “Steve, did you go through this stuff already?”

                “I did, while you and Peter were in the hospital.”

                “What did you find?”  

                “A place to stay.” Steve professed coolly as he reached into the pocket of his jeans and held up an old bronze key that he discovered in the glove box earlier.

                “But it must be the key to Miles’s house!” Tony stated with incredulity as he made an excellent guess, Miles stored his house key in the car’s cubby whenever he had to travel somewhere far.

                “I’m only suggesting we stay there for today. It won’t be our permanent home.”

                “Right…and I do need a place to redress your wound.”

                “Then we should go to his house, that’s if you know where it is.” Steve mentioned as he made a frown. He would not be able to tolerate the mere idea of moving in the residence of a man he despises in his inmost core, but they are desperate to seek temporary shelter.

                “I don’t know, but I will soon enough.” Tony acknowledged as he felt his clammy hands grip the steering wheel. He remembered seeing a small tech shop that they passed by when they were on their way to the clinic; it was about a block away. Tony realized he can remain in his Candy Striper uniform and put on the surgical mask while he is in the electric device store, to make it seem like he is a lost nurse who needs directions to the town’s hospital. Instead of searching in the Internet for the medical institution’s address, he will simply locate Miles’s residence, thus giving them lodging when night falls in the vicinity.

 

It did not take long for Tony to use a Mac laptop in the computer store and memorize the directions to get to Miles’s home from the blaring white screen. The new information was printed in his brain as he followed the steps while driving the Jeep Wrangler down a different blacktop lane. Once again, the family of three was overtaken by silence and enervation, slightly spooked by the recent event of Steve almost going to a fit of seizures so powerful enough to expel any person’s life. The orange-yellow hue of twilight highlighted the infinite sky with hills of billowing clouds, as the drowsy sun sank lower to the horizon line, splaying a few radiant rays across the land. Tony was in a pensive mood again, he finally made an exit on the highway ramp to drive into a more modern city, whizzing through the green street lights. He heard the soothing light chatter between Steve and Peter who were bewildered and awestruck of the impressive elevated buildings and the people buzzing around the bustling boulevards. Tony made a petite smile of how his curious husband and child were pointing out the eccentric environment with their fingers jabbing on the windows and their enthusiasm rising to the next level. The weary brunette was pondering about the latest affair; he felt convinced that he is now truly acting like the wife of a lunatic. He felt he gained a little bit of evil from Steve by forging lies, attacking another human being, and stealing. Tony obviously felt he was being too harsh on himself, it did require him to use self-defense on a lecherous physician who committed sexual harassment. He did not purloin the injection out of wicked intentions, he had an honorable reason and it was to preserve the life of his husband. His weighty thoughts were suspended when he swerved the car to park near the curb in front a row of modest apartment complexes.

                “This is it.” Tony announced with a fatigue sigh as he and Steve unfastened their seat buckles. Tony turned a bit to reach the backseat to grab the messenger bag and his short black gown.

                “We better get inside then, it will be night soon.” Steve replied nonchalantly as they both got out of the vehicle. Steve handed Peter over to Tony when they stepped onto the sidewalk; Peter had his periwinkle blue blanket in his balled fist. The tall blond planted the copper colored key on Tony’s palm; his wife observed it for a bit to see numbers etched on it: 361. Tony realized that it is the apartment number.

                “Do you want some help?” Tony questioned as he balanced Peter on his hip and adjusted the strap of the bag on his shoulder. He was willing to let Steve to lean on him again for support like they did in the last moments in Mount Massive Asylum.

                “I’ll be okay; I think I can handle this by myself. You can just lead the way.” Steve responded politely as he seized his aching graze. Tony nodded as he went inside the cream tinted building with Steve right behind him; passing through the entrance they encountered a set of rigid oak stairs on the right side of the chamber. They ascended to hear the tiny creaks from the boards under their heels, scaling upward to reach the third floor. Tony led them into the skinny hallway to sail pass the closed olive green doors until they approached one that is labeled: 361. He shoved the bronze key into the keyhole, unlocking it by the sound of a click, and he twisted the fat knob to swing the door open. They entered the premises to see that they were in a living room by the simple decoration of a worn-out dark purple couch with a huge screen television in front of it. The apartment was designed for one person since it has two different passageways that led to the kitchen and the bedroom. Tony placed Peter to sit on the plush furniture and left the messenger bag next to his son. He took the remote control that was on top of a drawer nearby and turned on the TV, leaving it on the Animal Planet channel that was discussing about cheetahs in the African continent.

                “You stay here and watch this; I have to take care of your daddy.” Tony ordered gently as he noted how Peter was hypnotized by the colorful motion pictures. The young lad was baffled by the invention and he was speculating on how it worked, Tony needed Peter to be both entertained and distracted, he did not want Peter to see the treatment process he was going to give to Steve. Tony gripped Steve’s long fingers and pulled him mildly for the two of them to go inside the private quarters, the faint indigo light of dusk surrounded them. However, they were able to see numerous of articles and newspaper stories tacked all over the pale walls. There was a medium sized mahogany desk that held stacks of disorderly folders and scattered papers near a closed laptop. Tony guided Steve to sit on top of the messy bed with its burgundy red sheets in disarray and filled with creases. Steve watched Tony explore into the bathroom that was in the right side of the bedroom. The wordless brunette examined the small lavatory to see a smudged mirror that was slightly open to see it is a medical cabinet; he looked inside to see various painkillers. Tony only took a tube of ointment and a carton filled with bandages that look like patches, he came out to kneel down in front of Steve, and he loosened the cap off of the healing lotion.

                “You scared me, twice in one day.” Tony finally spoke up with a solemn expression as he unwrap the black fabric from his dress from Steve’s six-packed abdomen. He was referring to Steve getting pierced by a spiral pole in the asylum and the danger of the rust almost giving him an infection.          

                “I’m sorry.” Steve muttered with a dejected tone, he did not know what else to say but to give his wife an apology. Tony tossed the stained cloth onto the carpet; he squirted out the vanilla colored balm and carefully rubbed it on the half-dried hole on Steve’s wide flank.

                “You could have died, were you that willing to leave me and Peter to fend for ourselves?!” Tony made a slight furious pitch in his parched throat, glossing the cold gel on the bloody gap.

                “I’m not that kind of man!” Steve remarked with a belligerent boom in his esophagus, he made a sharp wince and he slightly jolted upward when feeling an acerbic sensation from the cream. He was quite insulted that Tony was insinuating that his acts were imprudent and he had no regard to the emotions of his family.

                “I’m not saying you are. I mean it’s my fault that I have grown so helpless, I don’t think I can live without you, and that freaks me out.” Tony confessed with his watery honey eyes lowering, he took out a fresh white patch and stuck it on top of Steve’s injury. He had to admit publically that by the combination of his unfailing love and the memories they have interweaved together, it has molded him to be so dependent on Steve.

                “Shush my darling; don’t be scared, I’m still here for you.” Steve said in a hush whisper as he felt the fury drain from his spirit, replacing it with a surge of warmth. He took a hold of Tony’s buxom hips with his large calloused hands and pulled his wife forward, Steve twirled the both of them around for Tony to lay flat on his back on the grating mattress. Steve planted his palms near the sides of Tony’s temples to clutch the thin blankets, with his muscular body a few inches suspended over the slimmer frame of Tony’s figure.

                “Promise me you won’t ever leave us.” Tony felt his voice croak as he felt Steve thumbed his quivering rubicund red lips; they gazed at one another intensely through the cloak of darkness that dispersed throughout the entire room.

                “I promise,” Steve uttered cordially as he fondly cupped Tony’s chilly right cheek, he dipped his head to let his parted mouth squelch on his wife’s, who welcomed the caring gesture. They kissed deeply to listen to the mollifying squishing noises that their heated lips were making.

                “Tony—can I tell you something?” The two of them felt their breaths shorten as Steve motioned for his left hand to slowly glide under Tony’s candy-cane patterned skirt, fingering the satin stocking and ivory skin.

                “Yeah, what is it?”

                “I didn’t get the chance to tell you this earlier, but you look really good in a nurse uniform.” Steve complimented with an appealing strum in his irresistible vocals. Tony made a loud laugh and perched his hands on top of Steve’s naked broad shoulders.

                “Thanks, it was the only way for me to get the vaccine.”

                “Which I’m grateful for, but I’ll be even more grateful if we—you know, have a little fun.”

                “Believe me, I would love to do it, but I have two reasons why we can’t.”

                “What are they?”

                “Well for one thing, you’re recovering.” Tony mentioned as he lightly tapped on the pallid patch on Steve’s rib cage.

                “I can handle a little bit of pain.” Steve retorted with an arrogant snort, Tony giggled excessively when he felt Steve grind a bit on his midriff.

                “And the second thing, I’m not gonna have sex on Miles’s bed. It’s not right.”

                “I don’t give a damn about him, he doesn’t live here anymore.”

                “You are just gonna have to wait. How about we go get Peter and get some sleep? It’s been a long day.” Tony concluded as he flipped over to crawl out of the hot space from under Steve, he got up from the mattress and tugged his husband out of it as well. Steve obviously was dissatisfied by the news. He yearned to share pleasure with Tony and the bonus of desecrating Miles’s spot of relaxation out of vindictiveness, and that is by getting inside of his wife and spoiling the bedroom. It would have been a win-win situation for him if Tony consented to make love; he still harbored animosity towards Miles, Steve can’t help but remain true to his malevolent personality. The somnolent parents strolled out the chamber to venture into the living room; they stood together behind the couch to see Peter watch the last seconds of the educational program.

                “Time to go to bed, Peter.” Steve announced as he coiled his arm around Tony’s statuesque waist.

                “Are we gonna have a sleep over?” Peter made a big yawn as he wobbled up to his feet to stand on the cushion of the inexpensive furniture.

                “Yeah, just the three of us.” Tony answered amiably as he picked up Peter and held him between himself and Steve. The brunette also grabbed the remote control to turn off the TV, but his forefinger froze above the button when he saw a quick transition of an urgent update from a news anchor:

                _A mysterious fire broke out today in an inaccessible area, setting Mount Massive Asylum, an institution owned by the Von Doom Corporation, ablaze. No one knows what or who is responsible. The fire department arrived too late to see the entire site burned to the ground, finding corpses of the facility’s patients and records burned to ashes; there are no survivors. Reporters have tried to contact the owner Victor Von Doom to comment on the tragedy, but Mr. Von Doom refuses to give any comment about the situation…_

Both Steve and Tony were paralyzed and repulsed of the camera footage showing the smoke rising from the ruins of their old home. Steve was the only one who knew the truth, and that is it was Father Martin who sparked the blaze for his sacrifice ritual. However, they were both confounded of hearing that not a single shred of the documents written about the mental patients survived the flames, which meant that Tony held the last pieces of existing evidence, which are the camcorder and Steve’s _Confidential_ profile. Tony immediately shut off the television and tossed the remote control to land on the arm stead of the puffy couch, he refused to hear any more of the broadcast; it was only making his panicked state of mind pummel into an abysm.

                “Tony, do you want to talk about it?” Steve checked to make sure his wife wasn’t too overwhelmed by the newscast.

                “No, the asylum is burned down and that is all there is to it.” Tony finalized with a trembling long sigh as he noted how Peter was getting so drowsy that he could not concentrate. The three inaudibly disappeared into the dark vale of the bedroom to restore their lost energy. Tony hoped that his muddled thoughts won’t be plagued by the recent newsflash, desiring that nightmares won’t prey on each of them on this night and the rest of their days.

 

It was seven o’clock in the morning, the tiny chirpings of seasonal birds were ringing and the silver scales of the moon were replaced by shards of goldenrod. Steve Rogers was fully awake since he was used to getting up in the early hours of daylight, he was standing near the rim of the bed to silently observe the heartwarming sight of his beloved wife and son asleep. Tony was cradling Peter in a protective brace, letting the precious child snuggle against the soft fabric and heat of his bosom. Steve hunched over to print a docile kiss near the corner of Tony’s unmoving mouth; he savored every chocolate strand of hair that looped around the run of his fingers and the breathy melodic exhales from Tony’s luscious cerise red parted lips. The half-naked blond would do anything for Tony; he would exterminate every human life on earth for him, he was capable of any vile crime with a lack of shame and regret, Steve will always be the devil that crawled out of the sulfuric depths of hell. Steve withdrew to stand upright again; he walked up to Miles’s wooden desk and decided to snoop through the private journalist’s items. He slid open the cubby of the cluttered writing table to find a local map, he spread it on the countertop and examined it meticulously. Steve’s attention was absorbed by the indication of how a lake in the middle of a forest was only five miles away from his current location; he believed that this could be the potential region for his family’s new home. He then explored with his hand in the narrow slot of the desk again to feel a few lead pencils and the icy glass of a half-filled whiskey bottle. Steve took out a rawhide wallet that used to belong to Miles; he dug inside to take out money. The auspicious sight gave him an epiphany, he stashed all the cash and the atlas into the pocket of his jeans and he proceeded to go over to Miles’s open closet. Steve quickly put on a clean white T-shirt, a hunter green jacket, and a plain navy blue baseball cap he found hanging or limping in the thin storage. He swiped the brass colored key of the apartment that was near Miles’s laptop and headed out of the residence to lock the front door behind him. As Steve jogged down the flight of stairs, he felt eager to put his operation into play. He wanted Tony and Peter to continue resting and he was not willing to disturb them while he was out to do his errand. Steve went outdoors to have his toes near the edge of the sidewalk; he placed his thumb and index finger in his maw and blew a sharp whistle to have a yellow cab park in front of him. He slid into the backseat and politely gave orders to the driver to head over to the border where the woodland begins. Steve sat mutely to peer out of the window to scan the moving scenery, he did not take the Jeep Wrangler since he was not familiar on how to steer modern cars. He was ecstatic for this furtive journey, he felt it was his responsibility as a husband and father to provide a home for his family, and he figured he can hunt for a pleasant domicile in the heart of nature.

 

When the taxi dropped off Steve, the blond spent a decent hour and a half roaming through the sunny atmosphere of the woods. He inhaled the crisp fresh air of the pine scented province to fill his lungs, seeing the healthy lofty trees with their shiny coats of sea-green leafy umbrellas and the verdant grass blades swaying musically by the cool breeze. Steve was enjoying such a pure environment in his expedition, noting the avid squirrels twitch their poofy curled tails and chase one another with a fast sprint from their petite paws. He felt thrilled when he discovered a medium sized log cabin; his long quest was over when he walked towards it. The cozy lodge was crafted of the smoothest and darkest timber with unchipped columns and an arched brick stoned roof with a cobblestone chimney. Steve saw how there were thick bushes decorated near the domain’s railing that encircled the entire building. He felt his full apple red lips quirk into a familiar ominous smirk when he approached a tree stump that had a polished axe imbedded in it and a shovel near its roots. Steve grabbed the axe with a snigger vibrating in his gullet; he hid his hand holding the weapon behind his back and scampered up the ligneous steps to knock on the front door. It was opened by a middle aged man with a scraggy beard and light brown hair; he looked irritated as he peeked through the crack.

                “What the hell do you want?” He demanded rudely as he did not want this stranger to bother him.

                “Nothing, except for this house, and your life.” Steve answered with his fangs bearing and his voice growling like a vicious fiend. The man panicked of the death threat that he tried to slam the door shut, but Steve swiftly grappled the verge of the entrance in time with his left hand to swing it wide open. Steve rapidly lifted his leg to thrust the ball of his heel to pound ruthlessly against the male’s diaphragm causing him to expel the oxygen in his alveoli and collapse on the hard boarded floor. The older gentleman was screeching ceaselessly as he was scurrying backwards while seeing Steve reveal the glistening axe in his tight fist. Steve strolled up to him with a wicked leer and he was crackling diabolically, his black refined shoes hammering and echoing in every footstep. He crashed his foot against his victim’s ankle to trap him, a crunching sound was heard; the bone fracture forced the male to wail in a thunderous volume. Steve ignored the man’s beseeching to spare his life; he raised the axe and brought the steel blade down to slice through the spidery-vein neck. The thin tissue was ripped asunder for a fountain of hot ruby red blood to squirt out and blemish the wooden ground. The decapitated head had an aghast expression with wide deer-like eyes and the jaw dropped downward in a horrified way.

                “Thank you for giving me this lovely home, I’m sure my wife will like it.” Steve chuckled cruelly at the disgusting carcass as he slung the axe over his right shoulder. He left for a moment to go inside the dwelling’s kitchen; it was a rustic design with a lone antique glass-stained lamp suspended on the ceiling. There were the necessary appliances such as a microwave, stove, and a refrigerator that are all a white color; there was a lengthy table counter with chairs in front of it. Steve flung the lever of the sink’s facet and hover the axe’s head under the rushing water to wash away the lines of sticky crimson liquid, he took a paper towel from a roller sitting on the charcoal black countertop and dried the fin of the weapon. He hurled the crumbled towel into a wastebasket and picked up both the corpse and the severed head of the slain man with one hand. Steve went outside and jabbed the axe back to the tree stump and snatched the sitting shovel. He spent the time to dig a substantial hole and throw the dead male into it and refill it with a hill of dirt and pebbles with a few maggots squirming around, he flattened it down to look like the spot has not been overturned. Steve stuck the shovel back in its proper place and returned back inside the house, he managed to find a scrub brush and a bucket in the supply closet. He filled the pail with soap and water from the kitchen; he was on his knees to wipe away the heavy streams of wine red blood, he rubbed hard enough so the oak floor would be untarnished and absent of the proof of his murdering episode. When he finished, he dumped the dirty fluid from the container into the kitchen’s drain and put away the utensils back in the storage space. Steve felt the log cabin was a suitable home for his family, it has a comfortable living room with a maroon red couch that held a few patterned pillows, and it was in front of a low coffee table and a stoned hearth. It had a short hallway that led to a single bedroom which will be where he and Tony will sleep. Peter would have to sleep with them for a while, since Steve planned to knock down one of the extra walls to make a bedroom for his son once they get settled. He completed his dastardly task and stole the cabin’s pewter tinted key that was hanging on a nail that was drilled near the panel of the front door; he made sure to lock it before jumping off the porch. Steve decided to walk back, on his way to exit out the forest to catch another cab and return to his wife and child, with his immoral sneer still lingering on his handsome face.

 

About thirty minutes later, Tony Stark-Rogers woke up with his solid jet black lashes fluttering and his crystal russet irises gleamed under the slits. He slightly moved to lie on his right arm, relieved to see Peter wrapped in his cotton blue blanket and still dozing soundly. However, Tony was alarmed when he saw that his blond husband was missing, it made him feel a blend of grief and rage because yesterday Steve made an oath to never desert them. Tony did not want to jump to conclusions; he was praying that there must be a valid reason for Steve’s vanishing, but he was overcome with ambiguity of what the truth really is. His distempered breath hushed and he heard the clunk of the apartment door, he cautiously slipped out of the bed to see it was Steve strolling inside.

                “Where were you?” Tony questioned as he tried not to appear infuriated or fretful, he crossed his arms against his chest.

                “I was out; I got us a new house in the woods.” Steve responded with tranquility, he felt a little guilty for making Tony a bit worried.

                “You did? How?!”

                “I happened to stumble upon it when I was wandering. I met the owner and he was willing to give it to me as a gift since he doesn’t have a family to share it with.”

                “Oh my god, Steve! We must be so lucky!” Tony said with a genuine smile as he was cheered by the good news, he and his husband embraced one another joyfully.

                “Yes, who knew there would still be generous people left in the world?” Steve mentioned slyly as tightened his arms around Tony with a toothy grin and a sinister shimmer in his frost blue eyes. He was aware he was fabricating lies; the original owner of the cabin was in fact brutally slaughtered by him. They stayed in their amorous cuddle for another minute; Steve nuzzled his angular nose through the fluffy tresses of Tony’s rich fawn hair with his depraved grin. _My sweet little girl, how I love your naivety_ …Steve thought as he was never going to tell Tony how he murdered another person, it will remain in the shadows where it belongs.

                “I better wake up Peter so we can get out of here.” Tony spoke up as he drew away from the hug and picked up the messenger bag that was sitting on the couch since last night.

                “Of course, my darling.”

 

The family of three took the red Jeep Wrangler with Steve giving Tony the directions to go to their new haven. It did not take too long to arrive with the car driving into the clear trails of the woodland; Tony parked the vehicle near the tree stump that still had the axe implanted in it. They all exited out of the car with Peter immediately crowing out of exhilaration as he began running around the peaceful land with his puny feet stomping the lush grass. The two parents stood together and Tony dropped his bag to slump unto the ground. Tony leaned against Steve’s robust chest with bliss as they were both quiet to enjoy the serene scenery and look at the comfy log cabin; Steve planted his palm on Tony’s hip bone.

                “This is really nice, Steve.”

                “Yes, it is. This is a good place to raise Peter, and perhaps another little one.” Steve said as his sneaky fingers patted on the center of Tony’s stomach, hinting that he sought to make his wife pregnant for a second child and more.

                “Another baby doesn’t sound so bad. I mean I would like Peter to have a brother or sister to play with.”

                “Then we should fill this house with more babies.” Steve replied with a sincere smile as he pressed a loving kiss on Tony’s temples.

                “Maybe we should, after all, this is the start of a new life.” Tony responded with contentment as he felt Steve envelope him entirely, feeling Steve’s arms and heart become his stronghold, and his thoughts finally converged to a single revelation. _The future doesn’t scare me at all anymore…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you know, this is not the final chapter!


	12. Hanging By an Unwinding Thread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family adjusts to their stable life, Steve and Tony decide to make a second baby, but fate takes a different turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you guys go! This chapter is a little crazy, so you'll be feeling a lot!

            Approximately four months passed by, the black-violet cloak of nightfall splattered across the serene woodland with the faint chirpings of crickets and the few echoing hoots from the nocturnal owls. Within the cozy cabin, Tony Stark-Rogers was pacing back and forth in the living room with his soft medium sized hands holding the _Confidential_ papers of his insane husband with the blue folder wide open. He had just finished putting Peter in his new bedroom that was directly across from their private quarters; Steve graciously built it with his acquired tools from his current job. Steve recently took on an occupation that requires him to work for a timber business in the northern part of the forest, becoming some sort of a lumberjack. His boss was a kind elderly gentleman who is semi-blind, he recognized Steve for his physical strength and his admirable effort to work hard. Since Steve was considered the best employee he has ever had, he was quite generous when it was payday, giving extra cash to the blond. Due to the magnanimous personality of his benevolent employer, Steve was able to lavish Tony with countless presents when they sometimes drive over to the city. The majority of the gifts were lovely dresses and provocative undergarments, since Steve still wanted Tony to remain in feminine outfits.

Tony stood near the stoned hearth in which the vibrant blood-orange flames were licking and corroding the toppled logs. He was actually waiting for his husband to return home, Steve was a bit late since he decided to work double shifts for the day. Tony felt a small ounce of loneliness that he purposely wore one of Steve’s plain T-shirts, it was large on Tony that it flowed down to his ample thighs to cover his pink bikini undies. The collar slung crookedly to expose his china white bare shoulder and the red-pink strap of his sateen bra, as the cotton white shirt had the pleasant scent of Steve’s delicious cologne and laundry detergent. Tony was examining the _Confidential_ file to see the crinkled pages giving full out descriptions of the torturous experimentation the doctors performed on Steve. It also includes the appalling photographs that Tony studied long ago, with Steve naked in a transparent sphere with latex tubes shoved down his bulging throat. He began to take out all the reports that mentioned of Steve showing signs of aggression, murdering the physicians in the asylum, and the individuals he mutilated and killed in the 1950’s. Tony flung those records into the core of the bright fire, watching the thin sheets disintegrate into sprinkles of gray ash. The last testimony he threw in was the interview account of Dr. Garrett Snow who observed and wrote down notes based on inquires he formed for Steve to converse about the men and women he slaughtered in the past. Tony finished destroying the vital documents that could be used against Steve, and he kept the old photos and information that only display Steve as a victim, being tested and drugged against his will, becoming physically and psychologically harmed.

He made a long shuddering sigh as he plopped the folder on the oak crafted coffee table, he heard the encouraging click of the front door opening. Tony turned a bit to see his husband stroll inside the premises with his hay-yellow hair messy and a bit dingy by the mix of dirt and a few twigs tangled in the dirty strands. Steve had a few streaks of grime painted on his cheeks and his thick forearms; he wore his usual worn-out jeans with rips over his kneecaps and his shirt was splotched with puffs of soot. Tony ran up to Steve and immediately leaped to have his cool ivory arms wrap around Steve’s neck, and his bare legs latched onto his husband’s wide waist. Steve reacted with a boost of vitality and happiness as he positioned his large palms on the sizzling undersides of his wife’s moon-crescent thighs.

                “Sorry I’m late, but I appreciate the welcoming.” Steve commented with a pleasant chuckle. He and Tony leaned forward to press a juicy kiss.

                “I just thought I should stay up until you came home.” Tony responded as he unraveled himself from Steve to stand upright again, but he started to pluck the glossy green leaves from Steve’s untidy locks.

                “Look at you; you’re wearing one of my shirts, so you did miss me.”

                “So what if I did?”

                “It’s very cute.” Steve complimented with his light eyebrows waggling, he reeled in Tony closer for their bodies to touch. He felt aroused when he can see the solid pink outline of Tony’s undergarments underneath the downy shirt.

                “Oh stop it already.” Tony giggled lightly as he felt Steve print a few warm smooches on the flank of his snowy white neck. He felt Steve grope his right breast to feel the silk cup of the rosy-pink bra.

                “Is Peter asleep already?” Steve asked with curiosity as he settled his calloused palms upon Tony’s curvy hips.

                “Yeah, he wanted to wait up for you, but the poor thing fell asleep so fast.”

                “Well, I’ll just say a quick good night to him, and then we can go to bed.” Steve said as he started to walk down the hallway towards his son’s room.

                “And make sure to take a shower.” Tony called out to his husband who nodded and waved his hand as a gesture to let him know he will obey his command. He watched Steve vanish into the cool shadows of Peter’s bedroom. Tony picked the _Confidential_ folder once more from the countertop of the table, and tucked it away in between two novels of the lemon scented book shelf. He retired for the night, letting the flashing embers of the fireplace scorch the remnants of the ancient reports into iron-gray powder.

 

 

            Approximately eleven years drifted away in a hasty pace, it was the early hours of a tranquil evening. Peter Stark-Rogers was sitting quietly on the steps of the wooden porch. He rubbed the sides of his arms when he felt a small breeze nip his skin by its icy breath. His rich chocolate hair slightly rippled by the strokes of the whistling wind and his almond brown eyes sparkled by the silver streaks of moonlight. Peter is now fourteen years old and content to live in such a peaceful environment, both of his parents have been homeschooling him this whole time, mostly it was Tony who taught him since he excelled in both science and math. He curled up his legs close to his chest to listen to the croaks of slimy frogs and the rustle of the shaky trees. He heard the soft clunk of footsteps approaching behind him; he saw it was his kind mother wearing a charcoal black silk robe. Tony sat beside Peter and wrapped a thick wool blanket around his trembling body that is lightly clothed by a plain red shirt and denim jeans.

                “You’re gonna catch a cold if you keep sitting out here.” Tony spoke up as he noticed how Peter automatically eased into the protective brace of his arm.

                “I like it out here; it’s a good place to think.”

                “Oh, and what’s going on in that little head of yours?”

                “There are other kids out there, right?”

                “Billions, I would imagine. Most of them live in the city.”

                “Do they have parents like mine?” Peter questioned as he has never made real contact with other families before.

                “Uh well, no. All parents are different, and sometimes some kids don’t have any.” Tony explained as he began tousling through the short fluffy locks of his son’s hair. He was a bit disheartened since he realized that Peter has not once met someone his age or even played with another child.

                “Then I must be lucky.” Peter responded as he perched his temples upon the warmth of his mother’s bosom, an old habit that he never outgrew. He felt he did not need anyone else except for his dad and his mom.

                “Silly boy, it’s the other way around.” Tony crooned softly as he tilted a bit to print a tender kiss on the crest of his son’s forehead. They stayed silent for a couple of more minutes to examine the twinkling silver-white stars start to pop out of the pitch black heavens. Tony straightened to stand up on his feet as Peter remained seated on the spot, dazzled by the natural beauty of the outdoors.

                “Is it okay if I stay out for a little bit longer?”

                “All right, but don’t stay up too late. I want you in bed.”

                “Good night mom.”

                “Good night, sweetie.”

Tony walked back inside their house to enter through the dark hallway and swung the door open to the private bedroom. It was simplistic but finely designed with smooth boarded floors, a wide chestnut colored desk parked in the far left corner with papers stacked neatly under a small metallic lamp. It was near the extended glass sliding door with eggshell white panels. It was locked, with the violet heavy curtains parted to reveal the back of the cabin to see the fresh green lawn. He closed the door behind him to see that his husband Steve was sitting on the tidy bed of crisp claret red sheets; he cradled a large leather book and was making annotations in the crinkly pages with a blue inked pen. Steve was half in the nude to expose his burly chest engraved with deep lines, the beguiling swell of his beefy biceps, and the sturdy cliffs of his six-pack abdomen. He had on a coal black belt and a pair of navy blue jeans.

                “Has Peter gone to bed yet?” Steve inquired with an absent- minded huff as he scribbled another note in the margin space.

                “He will in a little bit, he’s outside right now.” Tony replied as he strolled across the wooden ground to hear the hollow echo of his feet. Soon he felt the brush of the cotton white piece of carpet that was lying in front of the medium sized closet; he peeled off his velvet bathrobe and placed it inside to dangle on a wire hanger. Tony scampered over to the ebony drawer that is positioned close to the right side of the big mattress, he tugged open the top cubby to take out a sunlit yellow bottle. He squirted out a lavender colored substance that smelled like an urn filled with jasmine flowers, he rubbed it against the nape of his sore neck. Steve instantly became distracted that he peeked from the wrinkled pages with sly glittering azure blue eyes. Tony smothered the sweet cream all over the exquisite tendons and the naked beatific structure of his clavicle bone. He was wearing a thin lacquered black negligee with its spaghetti straps on his milky white round shoulders with cute petite bows; it was semi-transparent that Steve was able to perceive Tony’s frilly panties, and the smooth surface of his fit stomach. The hem is embroidered with fancy lace and flowed down to his buttermilk upper thighs.

                “You know, I wish there were some kids that Peter can play with.” Tony mentioned as he started to massage and coat his shaved legs with the pleasant scented lotion, making them appear slicker and buttery, unveiling the firm tempting curvatures of his calves.

                “Does he feel lonely?” Steve asked with his throat customarily vibrated with stimulation as he snapped his textbook for it to close with a loud thump and set it to sit on the edge of the rich dark drawer.

                “I don’t think so; I mean he seems to be fine with the idea of just the three of us.”

                “My darling, we did plan some time ago that we were going to make a brother or sister for Peter.”

                “We must have been so busy on adjusting to this new lifestyle, you with your job, and me homeschooling Peter—“

                “The both of us were caught up by our obligations, but now that we have a stable residence, I think it’s a good time to have another baby.” Steve explained logically as he crept behind Tony, he slipped his worn-out hands to clutch the satin cups of his wife’s sultry nightgown and playfully squeezed Tony’s saporous breasts.

                “Peter will hear us.” Tony made a breathy whisper as he clamped his hands upon Steve’s, he made a soft sigh when he felt his husband leave a gentle peck from his smiling apple red lips on his shoulder blade.

                “He won’t, he’s outside.”

                “Then we better do this fast, can you settle for a quickie?”

                “Of course! And don’t you worry; you’re going to get pregnant when I’m through with you.” Steve promised with an impish grin as he got off of the bed and pulled up Tony by grasping his wrists. He guided Tony to the closed glass sliding door, he positioned for Tony to face it directly with his palms pressed upon the transparent wall. Tony turned his head slightly to peer behind to see Steve unfastening the zinc clasp of his rawhide belt for it to draggle around the loops, he unzipped his own trousers and impatiently stripped off both his pants and dark boxer briefs, letting them spool around his ankles. Steve then hiked up the skirt of the nightdress upward to bunch around Tony’s buxom waist and hauled down the skinny band of his wife’s pellucid undergarment for it to plop down on the clean ground. The aroused blond spat into his large hands and rubbed the wet matter all over his erection, using his own saliva as lubricant. He watched Tony shifted his legs to be apart, assuming in a consenting pose. Steve burrowed his dull nails into Tony’s hip joints as he eased forward to push the red-pink tip of his solid member in between the quivering bouncy buttocks. Tony bit his lush bottom lip when he felt the harden cock shove inside, he retained back a raucous cry in between his gritted pearly white teeth. Steve began to make sharp movements for his thick shaft to slither deeper into Tony’s drenched anus, his throbbing penis prodded further for the shaft to be swallowed by the glorious pudgy flesh of Tony’s trembling cheeks. Tony felt a few tantalizing moans escape from his mouth since he could not resist any more when Steve started pounding him harshly and repeatedly in a speedy tempo.

                “Ah—I miss this—it feels so good to be inside of you again.” Steve growled with an explosive bliss as he felt Tony rotate his slim waistline against his fast thrust for the ravishing globes of Tony’s derriere to vibrate entrancedly, trying to match the brutal pace. The muscular blond grinded sensually for the skinned blade of his insatiable groin to penetrate and skid for Tony’s inner walls to shrink and clench to snuggle the hefty length. Steve felt his exhilaration increase to the highest peak that his inhumane strength forced Tony’s heated body to bang against the clear outside door, making it slightly rattle. Tony felt his ample chest heave profoundly as his maw panted heavily with his scarlet red lips almost touching the crystal partition. He clawed against the translucent barrier with his fingertips as every few seconds, he released whips of jagged exhales, seeing his breaths transform into white puffy clouds that would appear and eventually evaporate from the glass divider. Tony felt his hands curl into tightened fists; he bashed them against the diaphanous façade, making a couple of noisy squeals. His husband was grunting with satisfaction when he kneaded the dainty mellifluous epidermis on the shallow gaps of Tony’s arched midriff with his long fingers.

                “Oh—fill me—ah! I want it Steve.” Tony begged with his voice sounding a bit hoarse and high-pitch to seem slightly feminine to appease his lover.

                “I’ll give you what you want, my sweet girl.” Steve reacted jubilantly of Tony’s honeyed vocals and sweet pleading, he was intoxicated by the delicious jasmine fragrance emitting from his wife’s sublime skin. He unshackled a boisterous roar with Tony screaming deafeningly in unison. Tony soon felt a hot rush of ejaculation spill into his compressed soaked hole, some of the opaque white semen trickled and clung on to the shaky circular arcs of his rear. The both of them heard the warning sound of the front door of the cabin and the click of the lock, meaning that their son Peter has entered the household to go to bed.

                “Pull out, right now!” Tony hissed in a belligerent whisper, as Steve nodded with his gullet feeling a bit dry. He was slightly saddened that they had to stop their filthy activity, but he was at least joyful of the both of them being able to have this single erotic moment, he was able to do his duty and insert his seed in his wife. Steve gradually wedged out his dick for it to snake out of the clinch of the prurient flesh of Tony’s ass to make a few squishy smacks, he liberated it with a squashing pop. They both started regaining their normal breathing rate as they listened to the patter of Peter’s feet and his bedroom door closing. The two sighed with relief as they both noticed how the transparent sliding door had smudges and the outlines of Tony’s sweaty hands. Steve tugged up his own underwear as he watched Tony snatch up his lingerie undergarment and scuttled into the bathroom. Tony managed to wipe off the insipid white cum that was splattered on his perky buttocks with a pea green towel from the metallic rack.

                “It’s too bad that we can’t continue.” Steve commented with a small smile as he leaned against the rim of his right shoulder on the door frame of the restroom, he crossed his arms against his strong chest.

                “Yeah, I know what you mean, but it was good.” Tony responded with a faint pink blush on his angelic countenance, he then put back on his racy panties for the gossamer fabric to cup his cock and testicles tightly and salaciously.

                “Let’s just hope this would result in a baby.”

                “I’m sure it will, your sperm isn’t exactly normal.”

                “Should I be flattered?” Steve replied with a bit of confusion as he quirked a cordial grin, Tony stepped out of the lavatory to be under the luminous rays from the ghostly moon and the artificial light from the curved lamp sitting on the carved drawer.

                “You should be.” Tony simply said as he felt Steve coiled his arms around the curvilinear slopes of his waistline. He felt himself sketch out on a jolly smile on his crimson red lips as Steve completely enveloped him with his tough huge body, Tony’s palms were against his husband’s sternum.

                “Mmm, you little vixen.” The attractive blond hummed melodiously as he tilted forward to smooch the mesmerizing brunette, both of them feeling as if they were becoming liquefied by the melting caress of their amorous mouths. The affectionate couple was pleased of this tranquil life, being able to live without fear or anxiety plaguing them; it seems nothing can shatter this perfect vision.

 

                About a week later, it was a promising day filled with sunshine and the appetizing aroma of the fresh spring air. It was a tepid early afternoon with Tony Stark-Rogers finishing on pinning the clasp of his milky white push-up bra, he stood in front of the open closet and donned on a tight sky blue dress with its hem above his kneecaps. It has thin straps and a slit on the right side of the skirt to expose a sliver of his lusty skin. He also put on an ink black jacket that reached down to settle around his wavy hips, and a pair of flashy charcoal black sunglasses. Tony walked out of the bedroom for his high heels to clack against the boarded floor; he entered the living room seeing both Peter and Steve carrying backpacks.

                “Peter, are you going with your dad to his job?”

                “Yeah, I want to see what he does in the lumber business. Is that okay, mom?” Peter answered as he was wearing a navy blue overhead sweater and dark skinny jeans.

                “Of course it’s okay, have fun you two, but be careful.”

                “I’ll be fine, I’m with dad. You worry too much.”

                “Well, that’s what mommies do.” Tony responded with a light chuckle and pressed a sweet kiss on the crest of his son’s forehead.

                “It looks like you have some plans of your own as well.” Steve spoke up as he rolled up the sleeves of his red plaid shirt; he noticed how Tony swiped the car keys from the coffee table that was cluttered with newspapers.

                “I have to pick up something.” Tony said almost inaudibly in Steve’s ear and discreetly pointed at his own belly as a hint that he was going to discover if he is pregnant or not. He has been feeling nauseated in the mornings.

                “I see; once you get the news, make sure to tell me immediately.”

                “If you see me coming to your workplace, it means that I’m pregnant.”

                “I’ll be praying for it to happen, my darling.” Steve expressed wholeheartedly as he slunk his hand behind Tony’s head and ran his long fingers through the burnished tendrils of the chocolate hair. He printed a mild smooch on the corner of Tony’s maw and soon traveled downward to have his starving lips cosset the flank of his wife’s resplendent neck. Tony felt Steve nip and suck on the beauteous flesh of his throat with an avid temperament, the pinch from those bleached white teeth left a sudden ache on the spot.

                “No, no, no. Not here.” Tony rebuked his frisky husband but his voice was shaken with laughter that he was trying to stiffen, he gently shoved him away.

                “I just wanted to leave something on you to remember me by.”

                “You always have to give me a ‘love bite’ when I go out, don’t you?”

                “It’s for those poor idiots out there, who need to know you’re taken.”

                “Well you should probably go, you don’t wanna be late.”

                “You’re right. Let’s get going Peter.” Steve concluded with a cheerful grin as Peter made a slight pout.

                “Why did I have to see that?” Peter mumbled with a sulk as he could never stop being disgusted over his parents’ excessive affection. Both the father and the son gave their final farewells to Tony who waved goodbye; they exited out of the comfort of the cabin to walk to their destination which isn’t far from their current location. Tony took down a messenger bag from the hook that is drilled near the frame of the front door and made sure to lock the house before getting into the Jeep Wrangler to drive over to the city.

 

About thirty minutes later, Tony parked the car near the curb of the sidewalk and turned off the ignition to complete his urgent errand. He took off his stylish shades and tucked them in the pocket of his unzipped coat; he unclipped the buckle of the gray seat belt, and put on his hood. Tony got out of the vehicle and locked it, he then begun strolling down the street with the noise of traffic and chatter buzzing in his ears. After a while, he soon strut passed two professional men in expensive Armani outfits with oil slick hair, they were engaged in a business conversation. Their concentration was broken when they peeked behind to see the mysterious ‘woman’. They stopped for a moment to watch that beautiful figure wearing such a body-hugging frock that highlights the magnificent curves and the raunchy arches of the plump firm buttocks. Tony heard the dreaded piercing sounds of their dirty catcalls; he made a few quiet giggles of their vain efforts and being fooled by his girly appearance. He shook his head of the ridiculous incident and proceeded to ignore them, with his silver ankle strap high heels ticking against the concrete. Tony resumed his journey with a blend of nervousness and enthusiasm, as he entered an immense shop; he was wishing that he and Steve will be expecting a second childbirth for the upcoming nine months. He wasted no time in wandering through an aisle filled with different female hygiene products; he found a few rows containing pregnancy test packages near the tampons and pads. Tony took one box and brought it over to the counter to pay for it, he gave the money to the confused cashier who desired to know what this eccentric man wanted this item for. However, the employee decided not to say a single word, as long as the customer was purchasing the merchandise, it did not matter. Tony was too restless to return all the way back to his household in the woodland, he went to the back of the store’s interior to use the unisex bathroom. He closed it securely and instantly ripped open the container to take out the plastic white stick; he read the directions under the florescent lighting and then threw the empty carton into the trash can. Tony yanked up his gown to wrap it around his abs and dropped his snow white panties to wad across the knobs of his ankles. He stood in front of the porcelain toilet and urinated on the pregnancy test, once he finished, he placed it on edge of the sink. Tony fixed his appearance with his frilly underwear back on and his frock tugged down correctly, he had to wait for approximately three minutes for the results. As he washed his hands under the facet water with suds of soap bubbling, he looked at his reflection in the mirror and saw a purple splotch on the side of his gullet where his husband nibbled earlier. Tony realized that Steve must have gnaw on him a little too hard to make it a hickey, he was mortified that he is out in public with this bruise on his epidermis. After he dried his hands with a bundle of tan paper towels, he took up the pregnancy test to see what the outcome is.

                “I’m pregnant, I have to tell Steve!” Tony felt himself squeal out of eagerness when he saw the blue positive plus sign on the indicator; he was slightly in disbelief that the swift anal sex was actually successful. Regardless, he was ecstatic that he will be giving birth to either a brother or sister for Peter. He inserted the used stick in his messenger bag so he can show it to Steve. Tony burst out of the restroom and ran out of the store with a soaring spirit; he finally paused from jogging to face the jeep. He took out the car keys with his lovely mien powdered with heat and with a pink cotton candy color; he was determined to share this announcement to his husband and son.

Suddenly, a folded cream white handkerchief was slapped forcefully against Tony’s mouth and nose. Tony panicked of the surprise attack that he made the mistake of gasping, letting the smell of an anesthetic leak into the systems of his body. He felt himself squirm and struggle in the iron grasp of the assailant, but he was weakened and his senses were going numb. The keys to the car tumbled out of his loose fingers for it to crash and jingle against the pavement, he heard the slur of a few men giving out orders and mentioning how they apprehended Stark at last. Tony was not able to hear anything else because he stumbled into unconsciousness, and then he was carried away into a dark van, far from his family.    

 

 

                Four hours rolled by and Tony Stark-Rogers was finally shaking off the remnants of the drug’s effects. His shiny hazel brown eyes cracked open in slits with his jet black long lashes fluttering, his vision was blurry at first, but he was able to focus to regain his proper sight. Tony gulped in alarm when he noticed that he was bounded on a cold metallic chair with his ankles chained against the legs of the piece of furniture. He lifted his arms to see both of his wrists were shackled together with a pair of glittering handcuffs, he shivered by the icy atmosphere since his jacket was folded on top of the titanium surface of the lengthy table next to his bag in front of him. The chamber was a bit diminutive and shrouded with the fangs of darkness, with the exception of a lone lamp that was suspended on the ceiling, it made a few creaks while swinging its fluorescent light. Tony also saw a one- way mirror on the bland wall, he felt apprehensive of the idea that random people can be behind it and analyzing him in secret. He jerked his head to the right when the door clamored open to reveal an older man and an elegant woman enter the silent premises with such confidence in their gait.

                “Everyone thought you were dead, Mr. Stark.” The cryptic male spoke up as he sat across from Tony who felt his anxiety increase. The mystifying gentleman has sandy blond short hair that is combed and parted neatly for his bangs to touch his wrinkled forehead. He has intense blue eyes behind his black framed glasses and he is well-dressed in a pricy gray suit.

                “And the two of you are?”

                “I’m Alexander Pierce, Director of the FBI. And this is Jennifer Walters; she has stepped in to represent you as your lawyer.”

                “The records show you don’t have a lawyer, so the state provided one for you.” Jennifer explained as she settled her black leather briefcase on the verge of the countertop. She is quite an attractive woman with her long dark brown hair pulled back in a fishtail braid and she has powerful brown eyes. Jen was wearing a lavender dress shirt with a pinstripe coat and a matching pencil skirt. She was intrigued by this complex case, a software engineer that was rumored to have died in the evacuation of Mount Massive Asylum has been alive this whole time under the care of the oldest and deadliest murderers to ever exist.

                “What do you want from me?” Tony grouched as he shuffled unnervingly when he watched how Alexander sketched out a devious smile on his thin lips.

                “You don’t have to be so hostile, Mr. Stark—“

                “Stop calling me that, I’m Mrs. Rogers.”

                “You must have gone through quite the traumatic experience if that is imbedded into your brain. Steve Rogers has always been such a sick bastard.”

                “How would you know that?!”

                “The night that Mr. Rogers killed both his previous bride and her lover, I was part of the police force that was sent to arrest him. At the time, I was a young field agent. Unfortunately, the Von Doom Corporation intervened and institutionalized him in the asylum instead, as you can tell; I still scorn the company and their suspicious activities.” Director Pierce clarified as he pushed his thick glasses up the bridge of his nose.

                “The FBI is looking to find proof to use against the Von Doom Corporation; Mr. Pierce has been trying for years to find evidence to shut down the establishment. Ever since the fire that obliterated the asylum, the FBI has lost hope, for all the documents and witnesses were burned up.” Jen added to the conversation as she crossed her arms against her chest.

                “Until we noticed the disappearance of Miles Upshur, we found your email to him in the system and later reports of Mr. Upshur’s car being spotted driving in different areas here in the state of Colorado, especially into the woodland.”

                “You were looking for the both of us…” Tony uttered with trepidation as he felt a few slight chills corrode down his spinal cord.

                “You are the only witness alive that can help us take down the Von Doom Corporation for good, and graciously enough, you have also handed in Mr. Rogers to us.”

                “What the hell are you talking about?! I’ve never—!”

                “Did you even know that Mr. Rogers killed the sole owner of the house in the woods, Ernest Brooks? In the files, that cabin is registered in Mr. Brooks’ name. It includes that Mr. Brooks use to work for the lumber business that Mr. Rogers suspiciously took over after his death.”

                “That can’t be right—“

                “These are the facts, Mr. Stark. After we arrested you, I sent my best team to arrest Mr. Rogers as well. I heard he put up quite a fight and was close to killing off my men, but now he is handed over to a correction facility and will receive the death penalty. We handed off the boy to Child Protective Services where he can be assigned to a nice foster home.”

                “What have you done?! Not Steve! Not Peter!” Tony screamed out in a mixture of rage and sorrow, he thrashed around feeling the frigid cuffs prickle his carpals. He felt his heart plummet into a never-ending abyss that his husband will be sentenced to die and his own son will be signed away to a different family. The door crackled open to reveal a tall man with short fawn brown hair that is fashioned as a faux Mohawk and he has bright chestnut brown eyes. He wore a black shirt with a dark rawhide gun holster strapped on his broad shoulders, cargo pants, muddy combat boots, and a pair of fingerless gloves.

                “Rumlow, back from transferring Mr. Rogers?” Director Pierce inquired curiously as he noted how the trained officer placed a laptop on the table in between him and Tony.

                “I thought you might want to see the process for the boy and for Rogers.” Brock Rumlow answered with a slight wince since it was perceived that he had a few bruises and blood smeared near his nostrils and mouth. He flipped the computer open and set it up to play the first video which showed Peter curled up on a chair in a social security’s office; he was trembling and sniffling badly as he was asking heartbreaking questions of what will happen to his mom and his dad. The CPS employee was trying to tell him that he will get new parents since his biological ones are unfit to raise him, but it made Peter more upset. Tony impulsively touched the screen with his wobbly fingers, desiring to wipe away the fat tears from his son’s face. _You’re just a boy, how can they do this to you…separating us like this_ …However, Brock jabbed at a key to exit out of the recording, making Tony rapidly blink with his eye sockets flooding with a pool of salty water.

                “The boy is scheduled with an interview, if all goes well, the couple will adopt him.” Rumlow informed as he scratched the scruff of facial hair on his jawline.

                “He already has a mother and father! You are destroying his life!”

                “No, a kid like him shouldn’t be taken care of a gender confused man and a murderer—“

                “Mr. Pierce, you shouldn’t take the child away from them. The boy was happy and healthy being with them, it is unfair to—“Jen interrupted as she squeezed Tony’s shoulder, feeling his distraught and anger.

                “You really believe he should be near a maniac like Rogers, would you want children around this lunatic?!” Alexander had an indignant pitch in his mature voice as he played the second clip for her and Tony to look at. They saw approximately eleven security guards appear jittery as they were dragging in Steve Rogers who was dressed in a prison uniform of an olive green color. Steve was obviously aggressive and was writhing around for his furious fists and his feet kicking up like an untamed stallion to hit the officers. He was demanding to know where they have taken his son, and then he began to screech in the top of his lungs of a different matter.

                “My wife! Give me my wife!” Steve claimed in a demonic manner as Tony was drained of his vigor and turned pale with fraught. This is a live recording and this is what is happening in this exact second, because the FBI managed to install cameras in the execution chamber to film the whole event. Tony stared with his head shaking slowly when he saw the security guards had to grapple Steve tightly and one of them strapped a mouth mask on him, making his husband’s yells turn into livid muffles. They soon subdued “The Groom” and slammed him against a flat gurney and coiled chains across his sturdy upper torso and his athletic legs.

                “He’s a serial killer, Mr. Stark. Those types of murderers are known for their charm, high IQ’s, and sometimes having an object of erotic interest, which in this case, is you. He has been killing people since the 1950’s and he will never stop, that is why he will be receiving the lethal injection for his execution.” Director Pierce declared as he rose out of his seat and tapped on the monitor. He could not fathom that Tony is so delusional; he could observe already that Tony suffers from a severe dose of Stockholm syndrome.

Tony could not divert from the painful footage as he was aware what this fatal punishment contains since science is his specialty. The lethal injection is actually a three-part drug, first is sodium thiopental which is to knock him unconscious, then pancuronium bromide that paralyzes the diaphragm to stop his breathing, and potassium chloride that is a toxin that will ultimately stop his heart from beating. Tony felt a river of wretched crystal droplets skid down the arcs of his pallor cheeks and he clasped his hand over his maw to stiffen the noises of his sobbing.

                “I’m here, I’m right here, Steve.” Tony murmured with his quivering garnet red lips, as it dawned on him that Steve is going to die. He immediately shrieked with horror and grief when they inserted the anesthetic by penetrating the skin on Steve’s forearm with a needle. Jen found this display immensely cruel; Tony should not be watching the slaughter of his lover. However, everyone became baffled when they noticed that the inoculation did not work, Steve appeared completely unaffected with his light eyebrows crossed madly. The officers tried the second and third parts of the drug, but they ended up being worthless, Steve was on his backside, still granted with his full health and snarling like an irritated pit-bull. Tony felt his heart skip as he barely discovered that Steve has been experimented on with every possible drug in Mount Massive Asylum for decades that his body has been built to become immune to such properties.

                “How in the world…?” Brock mumbled with incredulity as he was starting to have the notion that Steve is inhuman, considering it was the unstable blond who inflicted those wounds on Brock’s mien.

                “I’ll just have to order another sentence for him, one that will end him.” Alexander resolved with a tired but an enraged huff, he typed a quick message to the prison.

                “Please, just let him go!” Tony pleaded even though he knew his efforts were futile.

                “Don’t you see? He is a danger to us all, especially to you. He has held you as a hostage for fourteen years, forcing you to cross-dress for his amusement, and I can assume he has raped you by the evidence on your neck!”

                “No! It’s not like that—!” Tony yelled out as he touched the purple blemish on his gullet, it was used against him to make Steve become charged for being a rapist, more reasons for him to be under capital punishment.

                “Mr. Rogers should be charged for sodomy as well—“

                “Mr. Pierce, he is already being put to death for homicide. You cannot charge him for sodomy when the state of Colorado got rid of such a law in 1972. This is the modern era, two men having oral or anal sex is not a crime.” Jen interjected with a stern tone as she knew she cannot do much for Steve, but she can only look out for Tony who is her main client.

                “Very well, Miss Walters.”

                “You deserve to go to hell, I was happy with Steve! We were fine until you showed up! I’m carrying his second child for god’s sake!” Tony bellowed out with anguish as he seized his stomach, all three of them were a bit fazed by the proclamation.

                “I was thinking of putting you in a federal prison, but my earlier talk with Miss Walters might change my mind. She thinks you shouldn’t go to jail, and I’m going to agree. We should place you in a mental institution so you can recover your lost rationality.”

                “But Mr. Pierce, I’ve never said that he should be put in such a place—“

                “I know, but Mr. Stark is a victim after all. The only options I can give are either prison or the madhouse.” Alexander finalized as he took out a key from his pockets and tossed it to Brock, letting him know to free Tony. Brock silently liberated Tony by taking off the fetters from his ankles and wrists.

                “I’m not crazy, I’m telling the truth!”

                “If you want to be of some valuable use to us, then you should agree to be our witness for the Von Doom case, because of that asylum, it ruined your life and the lives of others. Don’t you want to do something right?” Director Pierce persuaded with a small smile as Tony sat quietly. He continued to blankly gaze at the screen of the laptop to see his husband worm within the firm grapple of the yokes. For a moment, Steve lied calmly with his head tilted to unintentional look at the hidden camera. It made Tony feel like Steve was staring directly at him with his beguiling ocean blue irises, he bit his bottom slick lip and felt his knuckles scrunch up. _I’ll do something right, but for you, Steve…for us…_

Without warning, Tony jumped out of his chair for it to clatter onto the floor, he made a dash out of the open door, hearing the loud belligerent shouts from Pierce and the patter of Rumlow’s heavy thumps of his combat boots. Tony was lost and puzzled of where he should run to, he sprinted down a hallway to pass by a few FBI agents and an enormous overhead window. He peeked behind him to see Brock pursuing him, but Tony was not scared since has outran hazardous characters such as Chris Walker and Frank Manera the Cannibal back in the days of the asylum. Tony immediately wedged in between an elevator that was closing, he managed to go inside and see the steel door shut when Brock approached it. The brunette felt he had to do something drastic as he pushed a button to head over to the highest peak of this government building. He exited out to find himself on the rooftop of the lofty structure, he strolled up to the edge to peer below, seeing the cars and people appear like ants in the aerial perspective. Tony whirled around when he saw a door bang open to see Brock, Alexander, and Jen surrounding him with different moods.

                “There is nowhere else to run. Just give it up, Mr. Stark.” Director Pierce said with a bit of exhaustion.

                “I told you already, I’m Mrs. Rogers.” Tony replied with bleak eyes, brimming with drops of transparent liquid. He walked backwards to purposely stand at the verge with his heels tottering treacherously with his arms stretched out widely.

                “Tony, get away from there! You’ll fall!” Jen roared out as she was fearful because she realized that he is willing to commit suicide.

                “Now I’m giving you a choice, Pierce. Either you give me back my husband and son with the guarantee of leaving us alone…or risk losing the only witness of Mount Massive Asylum!” Tony howled out with his bitter tears breaking through and streaking his heated cheeks. _If you’re going to die Steve, then I’ll be joining you my love…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you in chapter 13!


	13. Will It Ever End?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony makes a deal with Pierce in exchange for the safety of Peter and Steve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry everyone! I finally wrote chapter 13 and I hope it's good enough!

            It was four thirty-five, shredded swirls of cotton clouds filled the salmon pink sky, and it was the majestic hour of an early twilight. The invisible breeze began to ripple through the baby blue slit dress and the silky fawn strands of hair from Tony Stark-Rogers, who was still at the precarious verge of the lofty structure. His crystal tears continued to multiply, streaming down his warm cheeks, as he dared to shuffle the tips of his heels to leave the stony ground. It was a foolish choice and he was aware of that, but he felt like there was no other option, not when this dangerous love that he and Steve share together has more meaning than his own life. All he had to do was teeter off and liberate his body to fall from the incredible height, let it crash upon the asphalt below, and release his soul to join with his husband who will be dead. Heaven or hell, Tony doesn’t know what their final destination will be, but at least he and Steve will have one another to take care of in the afterlife. It was a strong temptation as he viewed Director Pierce, Jen, and Brock who each had dissimilar attitudes in regarding of this perilous situation.

                “Pierce, just give him what he wants.” Brock Rumlow said as he knew that if he tried to grab Tony now, the distraught brunette will toss himself off of the elevated building.

                “No. We shouldn’t appease his delusions.” Director Pierce grouched with exasperation as he refused to grant any of Tony’s requests, but he was a bit apprehensive since he could lose his only witness for the Von Doom case.

                “Let Mr. Stark present his demands to us, it is better for us to make a deal in which both parties are in agreement.” Jen mentioned with wise consul as she urged Pierce to make the right decision, it was traumatizing to see her client be willing to spill his own blood.

                “What will it be, Pierce?” Tony questioned with a deadly tenor as he was engulfed by the splatters of goldenrod and vermillion by the drowning sun. Alexander Pierce was a bit annoyed by Tony’s taunting, but he was also impressed by it, a type of valor he has never seen before in any individual. He could not risk losing the only survivor of Mount Massive Asylum.

                “All right, if you come down from there, I’m willing to make a deal with you.” Pierce relented with a long jagged sigh as he placed his rough hands into his pockets, he was not certain if he was handling this incident correctly. Tony seemed a little eased by his words; he carefully stepped down from the perilous spot and stood in front the three, he trembled a bit from his anxiety, he hoped that this wasn’t a mere ploy to capture him and send him to a mental hospital. However, they all traveled back into the busy headquarters with an edgy silence, considering it was the time to finally unite and become a team that opposes the Von Doom Corporation. Tony knew the most important portion to wrestle over at this moment is the welfare of his family, rescue his son Peter from foster care, and save Steve’s life from being stolen from him.

 

        They returned to the chilly interrogation room with its shimmering one-way mirror, plain walls, and the clean steel table that still held Tony’s messenger bag, dark jacket, and the laptop that Brock brought in earlier to monitor both Steve and Peter. Brock Rumlow and Alexander Pierce stood on one side of the icy countertop, while Jen stayed next to Tony on the other side.

                “What do you want, Stark?” Pierce asked with hesitance as his fingertips loosely touched the rim of the tidy tabletop, he was expecting Tony to give either impossible or outlandish appeals.

                “I believe Mr. Stark would want both of his husband and son back.” Jen spoke up as she understood that she needed to assist Tony as much as she can, and that is by lending her power and influential voice.

                “Is that all?” Pierce inquired with distrust as the wish seemed too easy to accomplish, there had to be something behind such an innocent and selfless request. Tony felt he could place his faith on Jen, since it seems she is the only person here who has been providing him help, and she seem to comprehend what he desires out of this compromise.

                “No, to be clear, I want you and all police authorities to leave us alone. Also, I want you to wipe out Steve’s past crimes.” Tony added in with an austere expression as Pierce was flabbergasted since it would be illegal for him to destroy those old documents. If he was caught doing such an illicit act, he would undoubtedly be stripped of his high position, slandered, and thrown into federal prison for the rest of his lifespan.

                “You do realize what you’re asking from me—“

                “It’s what I want, a clean slate for Steve. You have access to his criminal records, and you can erase them. Take it or leave it.”

                “You’re really pushing me, Stark.” Pierce grumbled with his nervousness rising as he had the notion that Steve Rogers has made a lethal impact on Tony, who seems to have become more blunt and stubborn. Tony appears unyielding and strong despite the emotional damage that was inflicted on him; it almost seems as if Steve has imbedded his relentless spirit within Tony.

                “You have no other choice, Pierce. You know you need me to get to Von Doom.” Tony pressured the Director of the FBI with unremitting facts and remaining with a collective but unnatural attitude. He remembered that he has seen his own husband use such wicked techniques against the Variants to gain their cooperation. Tony felt he should imitate Steve so he may have his commands fulfilled, it was the opposite of his own mild personality, but he had to make the effort.

                “I may be going against my better judgment, but I accept your terms.” Alexander conceded with a bit of disbelief, as he could not allow Victor Von Doom to continue to escape from the destruction he has caused for all these years without paying the price. He and Tony sealed the settlement with a handshake, and then Tony picked up his bag and slung it on his right shoulder.

                “Now, call off the execution for Steve and the foster care for Peter. Give them back to me.” Tony ordered with a solemn note as he was irritated enough to snap his fingers at them. Brock wordlessly took out his cellphone to communicate with Child Protective Services, he contacted with the social secretary that was in charge of Peter and canceled the adoption papers. Alexander called the unit that is conducting the death sentence for Steve in the correction facility; he was soon engaged in a disconcerting conversation with the supervisor.

                “Luckily we were able to prevent them from taking away your boy, looks like we can go pick him up.” Brock announced with a tranquil demeanor as he tucked his phone back in the pocket of his trousers. Tony felt a jubilant smile form on his strawberry red lips of the wonderful news; he could not wait to be reunited with his son, hold him in the warmth of his embrace and never let him go ever again. However, the joyful feeling was extinguished when Alexander ended the discussion with the overseer; he cursed loudly and slammed the device on top of the glittering surface of the table.

                “Director Pierce, what’s going on?” Jen queried with worriment as she saw how he shook his head with a grave look on his aged face.

                “I told them to stop Rogers’s execution, but they are going to proceed with it as planned.”

                “They can’t do that, they’re going against your orders—“Brock began as he was astonished that the center is ignoring the FBI and are officially performing an illegitimate execution. Tony immediately grasped his sternum to feel the irregular beat of his quaking heart against his burning fingers. The bliss from Tony’s lovely curved visage was expelled and every part of his body became rigid and cold.

                “It doesn’t matter, even though I have mentioned to them that I have made a mistake in scheduling Rogers for capital punishment. They are acting on their own account now. There is nothing else we can do.” Pierce explained with somberness as he was frustrated that his authority has limitations.

                “Then I’m getting Steve out myself. Do me a favor Pierce, get Peter for me.” Tony resolved as his dark eyebrows furrowed madly of how the prison is so determined to slaughter his husband. He snatched his raven black coat and buried it in the large fold of his bag.

                “Sure, I’ll get your boy, but you better hurry if you’re going to save Rogers. They should be taking him outside to start the execution.”

                “I’ll go with you, Tony. I’m sure I can stop them.” Jen volunteered to accompany her client since she does have the effect to stop the unauthorized deed. Tony was grateful that Pierce will be getting Peter for him and Jen offering more of her service to get him and Steve back together again.

                “Then if the both of you are going, I’ll drive, I know where it is.” Brock concluded as he adjusted the earpiece that dangled near his sturdy chin as Tony nodded at him as a sign of appreciation. He no longer saw them as his enemies and he desperately required allies for this mission, they were on a race to avert the demise of an infamous murderer. However, to Tony, it was about preserving the existence of a protective father and an amorous spouse.

 

          The hues of the twilit hour began to deepen with bold strokes of dark shades of bright yellow and fiery orange, not a single puff of a floating cloud was seen on the empty sky. The lone dusty road stretched far across the flat wasteland as the small pebbles and dirt crunched under the rubber wheels of a violet-black truck with bullet-proof tinted windows. Jen Walters sat on the passenger seat with Brock Rumlow, who was driving through the dusky earth in an accelerated rate, while Tony was in the backseat fiddling with the gray strap across his chest. He was consumed with a resounding fear that rattled his bones as every ounce of forbearance began to drain away, he leaned a bit to have his temples touch the panel and watch the soft glow of the sun start to drown into the horizon. Tony bit his wet bottom lip with trepidation as he mildly cosseted his fit belly, aware that his second baby is developing in the womb. He really wondered if Steve will ever get to know that another son or daughter will be under their care, but the real question is if Steve will still be alive to see the unborn baby’s growth and birth.

                Outside of the stoned walls and the prickly barbed wire of the state prison, the tall watch towers were paroled by armed officers and with their sniper scope equipment. On the outskirts, there were four men wearing shadowy uniforms and each of them carrying long rifles in their grip. They were ready to begin the execution with Steve Rogers in his olive green inmate clothes; he was bound against a metallic stake with iron chains cladded around his muscled arms and legs. Steve stood with a grim line between his full lips as he felt a tiny breeze ruffle his feathery golden tresses, and imagined it was Tony running his slender fingers through his short hair. He relished the simple thought and found it endearing, especially in such a calamitous moment; he pondered if Tony and Peter were safe from harm. Steve locked his piercing frosty blue eyes at the firing squad; they began cocking their weapons, hearing the ominous noise of the armaments unclicking. They each mutely aimed the muzzles of their guns to get an accurate position on Steve’s defenseless heart, their index fingers looped unto the trigger and were about to pull it. However, the death sentence was interrupted when an obscured colored vehicle swerved near the heavily cladded soldiers, forcing them to lower the artillery and watch three individuals scramble out of the open doors.

                “Rogers’s death sentence has been canceled, there has been a mistake.” Jen proclaimed with a firm tone in her dominating voice as she and Brock marched up to them with a sense of professionalism and with a silent anger. Tony twirled around the other direction to sprint over to Steve who was still bounded and trapped. Steve felt his soul rejoice and his attractive mien was lighted by love because of Tony’s presence, he never thought his eyes would ever again see the beauty of his devoted wife.

                “Steve, thank goodness!” Tony cried out with a blend of contentment and relief, he gently cupped the comely bends of Steve’s chilly cheeks. Without hesitance, he leaned on his toes; he tilted his head and pressed his warm scrumptious scarlet red lips against his husband’s welcoming mouth. Steve felt the affectionate caress and listened to the soothing sound of their flawless kiss, their moist pink tissues meshing fiercely.

                “I’m still here, my darling.” Steve made a pleasing hush whisper as he crooked his head a bit forward to bury the lower half of his handsome countenance against the fluffy tufts of Tony’s dark faux Mohawk.

                “I thought I would never see you again.”

                “I did make a promise, and that is to never abandon you.”

                “Thank you for keeping it.” Tony wept with gratitude; he felt the transparent watery beads bubble out of his blinking fawn brown eyes. He quirked a shy but delightful smile as they slanted forwards a bit to have the fair crests of their foreheads touch. However, the romantic reunion was injected by the furious arguments between Jen and the unrelenting firing squad.

                “This is a direct order from Director Pierce, you cannot continue this. It’s unlawful!” Jen hollered with frustration as the furnished officers paid no heed to her command; they remained in their stations and resumed to target Steve’s vital organs and making sure not to hit Tony in the process.  

                “We’re not going to let this one go. We would be doing the world a favor by getting rid of this bastard!” One of the military officials remarked with a belligerent snap.

                “Stand down!” Brock yelled out with a hostile pitch as he tightened his fists, feeling his patience begin to dry. Tony stiffened by the noisy quarrels and was only able to hear a few fragments, but he understood that the executioners are bloodthirsty and yearning to exterminate his homicidal spouse. _Damn it, they’re not backing off…then I won’t either!_ Tony thought bitterly as he rejected the idea of deserting Steve, he frantically tugged at the silver links of the shackles and seeing they were too resilient to rip asunder. Jen and Brock were able to anticipate how the stubborn officers released their first shots. The bellicose lawyer thrust out her sharp knuckles to thrash the hard bones against one of the uniformed males, it caused him to topple unto his co-worker, making them miss and seeing the metallic shells pound in the tan sand near Steve’s naked feet. Brock stretched out his right knee to lash against the third military official’s gut, forcing him to collapse with a rancorous howl with his fingers clawing at his aching stomach. However, the fourth man pulled the trigger of his gun, Brock was only able to smack the lengthy nose of the charcoal weapon a few inches, and Jen performed a lethal uppercut to bruise his chin and knock him unconscious. The speedy bullet was disturbed by its original course that it penetrated through Tony’s tender flesh of his right arm; it burst out of his damaged skin to exit out, creating a gory hole oozing out with wine red blood. The shockwave spread throughout his entire limb and the brutal blow made Tony paralyzed for a few seconds with his shimmering hazel brown eyes wide and his black pupils shrunk. Steve, with his apple red lips trembling saw in horror that Tony made a couple of choking muffles and limped onto his constricted body almost lifelessly to hear the rusty jingles of the gray fetters ring out.

                “TONY! Oh god, no!” Steve bellowed out with his fury and woe controlling him, his cerulean blue eyes was glazed with an excruciating dose of the highest pain. The salty droplets of water began to dribble down his fine cheek bones and cling onto the robust line of his powerful jaw, and some of the clear drops sprinkled onto the top of the downy fleece of Tony’s short hair. Brock swiped the dangling keys from one of the officers’ belts and ran along side with Jen to approach the two, witnessing the tragedy and feeling overwhelmed by the outcome of the incident.

                “Mr. Stark, are you all right?!” Jen inquired with immense consternation as she instantly balanced the quiet and unresponsive brunette with her arms around his rib cage. Steve wiggled aggressively to make the steel yokes and polished pole clatter loudly; he was making distressing drones and was desperate to be set free to attend his injured wife. Brock used a fat copper key to unclip the padlocks of Steve’s restraints, letting the ferocious grapple of the iron serpent tumble down onto the sooty earth.

                “How can I let this happen?” Steve uttered with remorse as he quickly took Tony away from Jen’s grasp. He felt his breath shorten as he embraced Tony, feeling an absence of heat and movement, Tony’s eyes were closed and he rested his head onto Steve’s burly torso, the wild pulsations of Steve’s anxious heart throbbed sorely. Steve felt his hope begin to restore when he saw Tony’s left hand twitch and then slowly skated upward to grip the fabric of his jail clothes. Tony unhurriedly unsheathed his mesmerizing coco irises that glimmered faintly underneath the lacquered black wings of his long eyelashes. He made a small whimper and he slightly shivered as he moved his palm to hold his laceration, his fingers were soon wet and sticky by the torrents of the ruby liquid.

                “Just a flesh wound…” Tony murmured with hoarse vocal cords as he realized that the impact caused him to blackout for a bit since the harsh pellet rammed straight through his epidermis, he was fortunate that it missed his humorous bone. Steve made a gasp out of glee when noting how Tony is still alive, but he received the damage from the hard capsule from the fire gun. He swiftly stripped off his plain olive green shirt and coiled it around Tony’s grimy gouge, finishing it with a secure knot. Steve perched his worn-out hands on Tony’s curvy hips so his wife wouldn’t fall from losing a certain amount of fresh blood.

                “You got me worried, but you’re a tough girl, aren’t you.” Steve said with adoration as Tony shuddered and steadied himself by seizing the round hills of Steve’s solid biceps.

                “That hurt like hell, but I’ll be okay. I’m just glad you’re safe.” Tony explained with a frail tenor in his shaken voice as he brushed against Steve’s well-built body that radiated with a thrilling tepid temperature.

                “It looks like we’re done here.” Jen mentioned with a tired sigh as she slicked back a few wisps of her ebony dark hair from her forehead. She made an exhausted smile as she watched how both Steve and Tony remained in their amative cuddle with peaceful dispositions.

                “Too much drama for one day.” Brock complained a little as he adjusted his raven black fingerless gloves.

                “There is something I have to tell you, Steve.” Tony spoke up as he lifted his head from the incredible warmth of Steve’s exposed fit chest, to capture the gaze from the azure depths of his husband’s twinkling eyes.

                “What is it, my darling?”

                “We’re gonna have another kid.”

                “You’re pregnant! I was hoping you were!” Steve exclaimed with enthusiasm as he lifted Tony into the bulk of his appendages, carrying his wife who made a boisterous laugh. Tony threw his arms around Steve’s neck, popping a few luscious kisses on his husband’s grinning maw, and giggling ecstatically, feeling Steve’s large hands squeezing the hot undersides of his pearly white thighs.

                “Now I don’t have to worry about raising this baby alone.” Tony replied as he unraveled himself from Steve to stand in front of him again. Steve nodded happily as he stroke Tony’s right cheek, he was beyond rapturous of the thought of a second child, but he and Tony were still ill with fretfulness of the notion of Peter’s disappearance.

However, by a miracle, the whole group watched a shiny black BMW approach them, seeing the wheels come to a halt. The hum of the engine turned off and both the doors of the driver and passenger seats were propped open. Steve and Tony felt their emotions revive fully when they saw their fourteen year old son Peter emerge out of the expensive vehicle. Peter stood there with his hand on the top frame of the window; he appeared staggered and looking as if he was trying to distinguish if his parents are real or a sublime illusion.

                “Mom, dad!” Peter called out at once with his appealing face scrunching into a poignant but overjoyed expression. He ran to them, soon to be welcomed into their arms that promptly huddled around him. The family was finally united again as Steve draped over to hug both his wife and son at the same time, as Tony printed a heartwarming smooch on Peter’s brow with a jovial smile on his ruddy red lips that were lightly speckled with his own translucent tears.

                “My dear love, we missed you.” Tony whispered cordially as he tousled through the thick russet brown strands of Peter’s hair.

                “I thought I was gonna lose you guys forever, I was so scared.” Peter confessed with a tremor and a mournful snivel, he settled his temples on Tony’s chest cavity that rose and fell in a calmative pace. It made him feel like an infant again, to be back in the protective brace of his parents.

                “You will never lose us, Peter. We will always be with you.” Steve reassured as he tightened his hold on his family members, their son seemed comforted by the words and physical contact. Peter reviled every single second he had to spend in the CPS building, feeling isolated and constantly hearing different social secretaries insult his biological mother and father. They ridiculed Tony for being gender-confused, snickering at him for pretending to be a woman, and detested Steve for his cruel demeanor and blood-stained history of being a psychopath. Peter never viewed or heard of Steve massacring collections of people, he assumed it had to be a lie, his dad was incapable of such foul behavior.

                “It looks like you made it after all, Mr. Stark.” It was Alexander Pierce who stepped away from the pricy car; he burrowed his rugged hands into the pockets of his pants and strolled up to them. Steve suddenly became antagonistic, he bore out his spiny canines like a mad coyote and jerked forward to try to strangle the director of the FBI, but Tony pushed his inimical husband back and scolded him. Alexander was the sole reason why they were divided and suffering from loneliness and anguish, Steve was not informed that Director Pierce had switched his alliance to them.

                “Yeah, and you better hold up to the rest of our deal.” Tony reminded strictly, letting Pierce know that he can no longer harass them and he must eliminate all of Steve’s criminal documents.

                “I will, but this means you’ll have to do the same. We will be filing a court case against Von Doom, and you’ll be testifying against him.”

                “Tony, what’s going on—“Steve questioned interestedly as he was equally bewildered as their son, but Peter did not comprehend anything since he does not know the truth.

                “I’ll explain everything when we get home.” Tony interposed gently with a staid visage. _We’re not out of danger yet, I still have to face a man who has enough power to crush us. Its Von Doom’s word against mine, I have to end all of this for me and my family, we’ve been through enough_ …

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 14 with the Outlast family! It will be longer, I promise! Also, let me know who you think the right match is with Peter, do you like him with Wade Wilson, or with Gwen Stacy? Thank you, the votes are in!


	14. Blessings and Curses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony receives an unexpected result in his second pregnancy and Peter develops certain feelings that can hurt the family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 14, I hope you guys like it!

         It was the seventh month of Tony’s second pregnancy and he was free from stress and anxiety ever since he made his settlement with Alexander Pierce. He was not plagued by fears of any police forces searching for him and his unusual family; he managed to share with Steve about his negotiations with the FBI director. Steve was astonished but impressed of his wife reaping the majority of the benefits from the solemn contract, he was secretly proud that Tony used the art of manipulation to receive a desired result. They soon focused on preparing for the arrival of the next Stark-Rogers child, Steve occupied himself by cleaning up and fixing the spare room that was a temporary storage area. It was near Peter’s private chambers and across from the master bedroom; it was the perfect location to move the newborn in. So, in a fresh crisp late morning, the tranquil woodland was filled with the sweet warbles of petite birds with their summer feathers trembling with elation. The tepid streaks of bright sunlight poured in the open glass windows of the log cabin that was noisy with construction sounds such as the sharp jarring from a drill or metallic nails being pounded by the bulky iron head of a hammer. In the furnished living room, Tony sat on the maroon red couch with a zig-zag patterned cushion supporting his aching back. He was wearing a magenta pink maternity dress with its soft hem touching his ankles as his slim biceps were cuddled by the long tight sleeves. Peter was seated next to his beloved mother, he had his hands on Tony’s large belly and he seemed fascinated of the notion that an actual infant is curled up inside.

                “That’s your brother or sister in there.” Tony said gently with an exquisite smile on his rubicund red lips.

                “How much longer do we have to wait?” Peter inquired with eagerness as he circled his roving fingers around the plump stomach, feeling the thin velvet fabric of the gown and the layer of flesh underneath.

                “Two more months.”

                “I hope I get a brother.”

                “This house already has enough boys. There is so much testosterone in here and most of it comes from your dad.” Tony answered with jest and a few snickers, he didn’t care about the baby’s gender, only its welfare.

                “Mom, does it hurt to make a baby with dad?” Peter asked randomly, he watched how his mother jolted upward with bafflement, with his glistening fawn brown eyes wide like a frightened deer in the wild.

                “Where did that come from? Why do you want to know something like that?”

                “I’m not stupid; you know I can hear you guys doing something weird together.”

                “Oh great…now we have to give you the ‘birds and bees talk’ don’t we? Even I’m not ready for it.” Tony replied with a pitiful whine as his cheeks were powdered with a deep shade of cranberry red, Peter shook his head with a playful laugh and patted his mother’s shoulder.

                “I don’t want the details; I just want to know if it hurts making a baby.”

                “It does, at least from my end; technically your dad does all the work.” Tony explained with hesitance as he realized that the first part of the statement sounded a little perverse since it seemed like a discreet reference to his hindquarters where Steve typically plows his seed in.

                “Well, I don’t want to do whatever you guys do any time soon.” Peter admitted as his mind was still innocent and untainted, he does not have any knowledge of the concept of sex despite having the capability of solving integrals in calculus and creating a calorimeter for chemistry to measure the heat of chemical reactions.

                “Good, don’t go looking for trouble.”

                “I wouldn’t be much of a big brother would I if I did.”

                “You know, your dad is right.”

                “About what?”

                “That you’re a lot like me.” Tony clarified as he held Peter’s hand with their smooth fingers interlinking and perching them on top of his pudgy belly. They were content in their silence as they slid closer for their temples to tap and lean against one another. Soon enough, the cacophony from the banging tools stopped their busy rhythm and was replaced with a pair of heavy footsteps that were drawing near. Peter and Tony both slanted their heads back to see Steve enter, he was wiping a few drops of perspiration from his noble brow, and he unclipped his utility belt to place his equipment aside.

                “Having fun?” Steve questioned with a charming demeanor as he was donning on a simple gray tank top and denim shorts, his vigorous muscles gleamed with salty beads of sweat.

                “Yeah, how’s the room coming along?” Peter responded as sometimes he would lend Steve his assistance on decorating or tidying the brand new nursery, especially since Tony is in no condition to do any assiduous tasks.

                “It’s going great, kiddo. I just need to make the crib left.”

                “Can you do me a favor, Steve? Would you make the baby’s crib larger, because I have a feeling this is going to be a big one.” Tony mentioned with a breezy sigh as he noticed his tummy is huger than his first pregnancy, including that the baby kicks frequently and eats more compared to a normal basis.

                “Of course, my darling. Anything else?” Steve asked with sincerity as he circled around the plush couch and sat down to have Tony in between him and Peter.

                “Do I look chunky to you?”

                “Oh mom, not that question again!” Peter complained with a tired huff, Tony has been overly sensitive about his weight. Tony recalled distinctly that he wasn’t this size when he was carrying Peter, even though he is fit and at the right mark on his mass, he still viewed himself as a gigantic bowl of mashed potatoes.

                “Can you blame me? I wasn’t this fat when I had you.” Tony remarked with slight irritation, but he was mostly distraught.

                “Don’t be like that, Tony. You’ll have the baby soon enough and you’ll be back to your regular self.” Steve encouraged with a lighthearted attitude as he smooched the center of Tony’s paunch. Before Tony could protest any further, the three heard a knock on their front door, and Peter rose to walk over to the entrance; he unlocked it and opened the entry.

                “Hi Jen, what brings you here?” Peter said politely as he allowed the lovely lawyer to enter their home.

                “I have some business to discuss with all of you.” Jen responded with a congenial smile as her silky dark brown mane flicked like a horse tail. She wore an eggshell white blouse with a lengthy charcoal skirt, and she held her rawhide chestnut brown briefcase. Peter returned to sit with his parents who offered the turquoise polyester chair that is across from them for Jen to settle in.

                “What do you want to talk about?” Steve queried as he shifted his right arm to wrap it around Tony, with his callous palm squeezing the side of Tony’s shoulder.

                “Since I have seen with my own eyes that Tony is indeed pregnant, I would like to offer something to you.”

                “Such as?” Tony merely asked as he was curious of what Jen can possibly do for them, she has already shield them from the government.

                “I was thinking of reserving a room for you in the hospital, to let professionals handle the childbirth, it’s to make things easier for you.” Jen revealed as she saw how Tony seemed delighted by the idea and Peter looked happy for his mother.

                “A hospital? Is this some kind of a trick?” Steve made a growl in his throat; he became distrustful and agitated by the sound of the word, awakening bitter memories and negative sentiments.

                “No, Steve. It’s not going to be anything like the asylum.” Tony quickly acknowledged as he was aware that his husband never changed his feelings towards medical institutions, every single one of them is considered evil to him.

                “We shouldn’t risk it.”

                “But dad, the doctors will know how to handle—“Peter objected as he still did not comprehend why Steve is so against clinics, especially when they have all the necessary gear to bring out his new brother or sister.

                “Your mother and I were able to do this alone for your birth, and we can do it again.” Steve retorted with his sky blue irises teeming with an obscure sheen. He was a bit perplexed when Tony grabbed his wrist and shrugged off his grapple, scooting a bit away out of infuriation.

                “Things are different now and besides, we don’t have any medical equipment to use.”

                “It’s not safe—“

                “I want this, Steve! It’s better this way.”

                “I don’t want them to hurt our baby, or have them taking it away from us.”

                “They won’t! I really need this, if the birth is jeopardized, at least there will be a group of medics there who have a better chance in resolving the problem.” Tony rationalized as he was still a bit scared of the possibility that he may lose the baby or his own life, he would have a higher percentage of surviving if he was under the care of experts.

                “I won’t go in a hospital—“Steve began with his low voice sounding irked as he still refused to compromise.

                “Fine! Then you can miss the birth! See if I care!” Tony yelled out with a mixture between misery and fury, he slowly wobbled up to his feet, hugging his podgy stomach, and stormed out of the premises. Steve felt wounded and angry by his wife’s stubbornness; he was quiet, with his apple red full lips pressing into a tight line and his hand clutching the square pillow that Tony propped back on. Jen felt uncomfortable and a bit responsible for making the couple argue, she fiddled her thumbs with her hands clasped.

                “I don’t know why it’s such a big deal that you want mom to have the baby here.” Peter broke the awkward silence with his good-looking face making a disconsolate expression.

                “You wouldn’t understand—“

                “Then help me to understand, dad.”

                “I can’t say.” Steve simply said as he made a pained look, he couldn’t bring himself to unveil his past to his own son. The physical and psychological torment he endured for decades, and the multiple murders are meant to be concealed. Their old residence, Mount Massive Asylum, is the sole reason that he is frightened and belligerent towards infirmaries.

                “Okay, but you weren’t exactly being fair to mom. Shouldn’t you do the right thing for him?” Peter made an insightful statement despite not knowing any vital information; Steve made a windy exhalation and shook his head.

                “I’m going to find your mother.” Steve plainly declared with a dismal tone as he patted Peter’s knee and ventured off. He decided to head to the kitchen first, letting his feet thump on the glossy boarded floor. Steve was a bit satisfied of how he chose wisely, he saw his wife sitting in front of the extensive raven black countertop on one of the stools. Tony peered upward with his chocolate brown eyes, they seem a little watery. He was eating a plate of warm chicken that he cooked in a pot an hour ago and it was now ready to be served; he ripped the succulent skin off with the pinch of his teeth. Steve approached to stand on the other side of the slippery surface, seeing Tony drop the meatless bones to clank on the platter, noting how they were also sucked dry of their marrow.

                “What do you want?” Tony grumbled as he heard the snap of the wing he split into two. He was dining since his infant was hungry again and he found solace in consuming rich food.

                “We really need to work this out. I don’t like it when we’re angry at each other.” Steve answered as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on the counter.

                “Look Steve, I’m not trying to be mean, but you really need to stop being afraid of clinics. I know what you went through has made you like this, but—“

                “It’s not easy, Tony. I just don’t want to go back to being someone’s experiment, and I don’t want my own family to experience what I had to go through.”

                “The thing is, Von Doom is the one to blame. What you need to know is that he does not own every medical facility.” Tony elaborated as he pushed his dish away that was stacked with numerous of fragmented skeletons of dead hens. He always understood Steve’s perspective and sympathized his husband for the trauma that he developed by the countless tests performed on him. However, it is urgent for him to have this chance to birth the baby in a more reliable place; he had to take precautions, especially since he is feebler and heftier compared to the first pregnancy.

                “How will I know that you’ll be safe?”

                “Fathers are able to stay with the mothers for the entire birth. So you can be there the whole time, whether to protect me or see if I’m okay.”

                “I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I missed it.” Steve replied with a sad smile as he stood upright again, and remembered the burning words of Tony telling him to basically not be present for the childbirth.

                “I was really pissed off at you, but I should’ve never said that, because I need you there with me.” Tony confessed as he swallowed a tangled knot of saliva in his gullet, he was blinking rapidly to restrain the incoming tears. He sniffled and unhurriedly removed himself from his seat; he went around the countertop and hugged Steve as a sign of an apology.

                “No, I should be sorry. I was being selfish; I should’ve put you first.” Steve uttered softly as he instantly wrapped his beefy arms around his wife and kissed the top of his skull to feel the satin brush from the shadowy tufts.

                “You have no idea how much I need you there, your support was the reason I was able to give birth to Peter. You give me strength, Steve.” Tony acknowledged as his fingers grasped the back of Steve’s shirt intensely, he listened to the spellbinding pulses of Steve’s beating heart.

                “I’ll make it right, my darling. I won’t fail you.”

                “Thank you, honey. I’m gonna tell Jen what we decided.”

                “Right, I’m sure Peter and Miss Walters are wondering where we are.” Steve concluded as he felt a ripple of thrill when Tony dubbed him with a pet name, and pecked his maw with his delicious crimson lips. They interlaced their fingers to hold hands and took their time to travel back to the cozy living room; it seemed Jen was telling Peter about stories when she enrolled and graduated from UCLA. Their friendly chat was over when Steve and Tony sat back down on the couch with affable moods.

                “So Jen, I think we’re gonna take up your offer.” Tony said as Jen seemed relieved by the news and that the marriage couple appears joyful again.

                “That’s great. The way this is going to work is the doctors that will be attending you, will sign a contract. They will deliver your baby in secret, they cannot reveal to anyone about the birth, especially to the media.” Jen explicated as she settled her bag on her lap.

                “If word gets out that a man gave birth to a baby, it’s gonna give us a lot of unwanted attention.” Tony nodded his head as he realizes that if this news goes public, it will cause suspicion, possibly ridicule from people, and discovered by Von Doom who might try to exterminate him. Steve was not certain why it was so crucial for Tony’s pregnancy to be hidden from the world; he saw it was common for females to bear children since he considers Tony as a woman.

                “I’ll make sure to get you a surgical and recovery room.”

                “Thank you Jen. This means a lot.”

                “No problem, I’ll see all of you in a few more weeks.”

 

      On the ninth month, it was a cool afternoon with a small refreshing breeze stroking the glossy green leaves of the woodland trees and the glitzy kilts of the seasonal flowers. The lively squirrels chased one another across the verdant grassy field with their puffy tails lashing back and forth with excitement. Young sparrow birds with their chestnut brown feathers prickled with glee as they opened their tiny yellow beaks to sing the soothing melodies of nature’s song. Tony was outside of the log cabin to appreciate and immerse himself in the peaceful environment, he was sitting on a carved oak rocking chair on the porch. He swayed gently in a tranquil rhythm with his hazel brown eyes closed, with his hands gripping the arm steads. Tony felt the wind caress his shadowy locks of floccent hair and the skirt of his long violet dress and settling its balmy respire on his creamy skin. Steve was behind his calm wife, silent but with contentment, he was massaging Tony’s rigid shoulders with the heavy press of his big hands. Peter came out of the house wearing a simple navy blue sleeved shirt with clean jeans, and a pair of black Converse shoes. He shut the front door behind him and carried a glass of pink lemonade with a few ice cubes floating inside, and he also had a textbook on the subject of physics.

                “Here you go, mom.” Peter announced as he gave the light beverage to Tony who opened his honey eyes.

                “Thank you sweetie.” Tony said with a gracious smile on his soft ruby red lips, he took the crystallized cup and sipped from it to have the strawberry pink liquid swim down the interior of his esophagus.

                “Still studying that book? It looks awfully big.” Steve commented when he noticed the thick volume, he remembered that Tony bought it for Peter to teach him another type of science since they recently finished biology. The attractive blond wore an ink black V-neck sweater with a white collar that was folded neatly, with a royal blue tie tucked inside, and a pair of unwrinkled matching khaki pants.

                “Yeah, I was hoping to get a lesson on kinetic and potential energy.”

                “Right, we left off on that. It’s pretty easy; you won’t have any problem with it.” Tony mentioned with encouragement as Peter stretched out a friendly grin. They planned to study a few pages to allow the minutes to tick by, however; they heard the roar from an engine and the grating of pebbles being trodden on by rolling rubber. The family of three saw it was a white Lexus car parking in front of their home, relieved and glad to see Jen Walters exit out of the driver seat and climb the steps of the cabin.

                “Hi everyone, how’s the baby?” Jen greeted convivially as she wore a casual outfit of a sea green sleeveless blouse with a ruffled neckline, her biceps are quite fit that it is evident that she can lift the heaviest weights. She is also dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and tan sandals with ankle straps.

                “Fine, should come any day now.” Steve answered with a sense of elation as he reached forward to rub Tony’s rotund stomach, Tony made a small chuckle and splat his medium sized hand on top of Steve’s.

                “That’s good to hear. Director Pierce has sent me to give you a message. He just wanted to remind you that after a few months after the birth of the baby, he would like for you to gather your evidence for the Von Doom case.” Jen explained as Peter was still puzzled by these strange words, the constant mention of a mysterious business man, and the nagging notion of his mother who has to be part of a cryptic court case.

                “I get it. It’ll give me enough time to have it ready.” Tony responded with a solemn nod as he was aware that he would have to salvage his camcorder from the shadows of his closet. He needed to review the recorded footage and completely erase the sections where Steve appears in his madness, obsessively hunting him down in the ruins of his old domain. Tony could not allow the judge and jury to view Steve as a grotesque fiend; it would cause the deleterious effect of ignoring Von Doom’s criminalities and cast the blame on Steve instead. It would lead to a massive investigation regarding the infamous “Groom”, and they will find out that the FBI has been showing signs of corruption by withdrawing the decision of capital punishment that was scheduled for such a notorious serial killer. Tony had to continue protecting his disreputable husband; he cannot let his own information about Mount Massive Asylum be their downfall, because the law won’t be so merciful for the second time.

After having these fretful thoughts scramble within his buzzing skull, Tony suddenly felt an upsetting spiral in his belly, feeling it tighten and have the awful sensation of being sliced multiple instances with a flaming dagger. Tony instantly seized Steve’s large hand harder to dig his nails into his husband’s tough white boned knuckles, and his drink slipped out of his grip letting the translucent container shatter against the wooden ground. The coral pink liquid spilled and shards of piercing glass scattered, Peter was appalled of seeing his mother twist an agonizing expression and start to frantically gasp for oxygen.

                “The baby—it’s coming!” Tony proclaimed with trepidation as Steve carefully pulled his wife out of the chair to wrap his arm securely around Tony’s lower back. Everyone descended the ligneous steps of the porch as Tony could feel the familiar wet sensation in his underwear, aware that his water broke, and that a few streams dribbled down his inner thighs.

                “I’ll take you to the hospital.” Jen replied as she motioned the family to go inside of her car. She sent a text to the head physician, to have the private surgical chamber and his assistants ready.

                “Will mom be okay?” Peter inquired with fraught as he never saw his mother look so frail and panicked.

                “Don’t you worry; your mother will be fine. Trust me.” Steve reassured as he was sympathetic towards his son who seemed baffled and distraught, this was a new experience for Peter and it was logical for him to react this way. So the family of three joined Jen in her vehicle, taking them as quickly as possible to the clinic.

 

Within a matter of minutes, they were exiting out to stand on the curb in front of the emergency room. Jen let Tony borrow her bright yellow jacket as a method of concealment, it was placed over his head to completely hide his bearded face and make him appear like any normal pregnant woman. They proceeded to walk inside the facility, entering through the double glass doors that slid apart. Immediately, they saw a pretty South Korean lady stroll up to them wearing periwinkle blue scrubs, she was rolling out a wheelchair.

                “I’m one of your doctors, Helen Cho. Please, sit down, and I’ll get you to your room.” She introduced herself with an amiable smile on her pink lips; she had her ebony dark brown hair twirled up in a soft bun with a few strands flowing down to touch her jaw. Steve was still wary as he reluctantly lowered his wife on the seat, while Jen turned to Peter and planted her strong hands on his shoulders.

                “Sorry Peter, but you’ll have to stay in the waiting room.”

                “But why? How come I can’t go with them?” Peter questioned with a bit of distress as he found it unfair that he cannot be with his parents and witness the coming of his new sibling.

                “It’s the rules, only your dad can be there, and besides, you’re too young to see something so graphic.” Jen elucidated briefly as she ruffled through a few messy locks of his fleecy hair, he made a pout and jerked back a little.

                “Okay, but I don’t like it.”

                “They’ll be fine, I promise.”

                “What will you be doing, Jen?” Peter asked as Jen quirked a friendly smile.

                “My work here is done so…I have to report back to Director Pierce, to let him know that your mother is having the baby.” Jen answered as she and Peter watched Helen push the wheelchair with Tony sitting on it, and forming loud groans. Steve accompanied them to disappear behind a pair of flapping doors, looking concerned and paranoid by the surroundings.

                “So, we’ll see you later?”

                “Of course, and I wish you and your parents all the luck in the world.”

                “Thanks Jen, for doing this.” Peter was grateful for Jen using her time to help them, he waved goodbye to her and watched her leave the hospital. Peter made a shaky sigh as he could not stop thinking if his mother will be all right, the undersides of his shoes knocked against the glossy linoleum as he walked down to arrive at the waiting room. The cold chamber was decorated with low coffee tables, countless magazines, fake potted plants, and a few comfy chairs with fuchsia cushions. Peter sat down quietly, flipping his physics book open and resting it on his lap, occupying his brain with formulas. He needed this dense material to divert his attention and decrease his persistent apprehension.

 

          Meanwhile, Steve Rogers emerged into the operating region dressed in a lemon green medical uniform over his regular clothes, with a cotton white clinical mask dangling around his neck. He saw the expansive area was painted in an obscure shade of a pepper gray, with a few overhead fluorescent lights from the ceiling. Steve noticed there were a few nurses scrambling around with polished tools, he saw Helen Cho checking the beeping monitors and scribbling on a clipboard to record the data. He saw his dearest wife propped up on a platform that was pampered with tissue paper, linens, and fat pillows. Tony donned on a sky blue hospital gown and his quaking legs were spread, he was wailing in a high pitch and gripping the washed fabric of the sheets. The head doctor jogged over to Steve who was nerved by the presence of so many physicians.

                “You must be the father. I’m Dr. Bruce Banner and I’ll be doing the delivering today.” The male seemed benevolent as he held out his hand to Steve who glanced at it with disinterest and disgust. Bruce has brown wavy hair with a couple of light streaks of silver and sparkling fawn brown eyes beneath his thin platinum glasses. He wore a laboratory coat, a creaseless milky white dress shirt with a hunter green tie, and a pair of black khakis.

                “I swear, if anything happens to my wife and our baby, I’ll kill you and everyone in here.” Steve whispered harshly through his clenched teeth as he whacked Bruce’s palm away.

                “Well yes, I suppose that’s fair.” Bruce mentioned unsurely as he rubbed his hand with a wince, he did not want this menacing blond to become more aggressive. He was warned by Director Pierce and Jen that Steve is insane and his belligerence should be avoided at all costs. Bruce was still at awe of having a patient like Tony, he has never encountered something impossible as this before, it fascinated him of how this male can bear children. Steve shook his head with a snarl as he stomped passed Bruce to be at his wife’s side through the gruesome process. Bruce made a brisk sigh and hurried over to take his position near the tray of shiny instruments, he quickly put on latex gloves.

                “This is so much worse than the first time!” Tony screamed out as he seized Steve’s large hand, squeezing it brutishly enough for it to starting blooming into a deep red. Helen thrust her written papers at one of the assistants and took out a few clear tubes, a capped vaccination, and a catheter from the bottom shelf of a wheeled cart.

                “Would you like an epidural?” Helen inquired as she wanted to give him the option of taking an anesthetic or not since Tony was squirming a bit and crushing Steve’s finger bones.

                “Yes!”

                “No!” Steve yelled out as he shook his head at Tony’s approval of the drug, he knows his wife more than anyone, the both of them always agreed to have natural births. Tony was influenced by the torment again, that it forced him to abandon their original plan.

                “If you loved me, you’ll let me get high!” Tony barked with contempt as he withdrew his hand to punch the side of Steve’s broad shoulder.

                “It’s because I love you that I’m not letting you take it.” Steve explained calmly as Tony screeched out of frustration and the strangling contractions in his belly.

                “Is that a no?” Helen said with confusion as she slowly placed the objects on the counter near the medical utensils, she turned to Bruce for guidance.

                “I’m going to say it is. Just let them argue, Dr. Cho.” Bruce remarked with an exasperated breath as he picked up a scalpel to cut a hole for the baby to exit out of. With that kind of energy that Tony possesses, Bruce was certain that Tony will have enough vigor to endure the childbirth without any pain killers.

 

After a few hours later, a seventeen year old male finally finished another therapy session in the psychiatric ward. He slammed the oak door behind him happily, receiving disapproving glares from the receptionist and from the majority of the people in the waiting room.

                “Wilson! You really need to stop doing that! You’re bothering everyone.” The administrator scolded as she was so incensed that every visit he makes, he would make a brash admission and departure.

                “Come on, old lady! Where are the drugs?” The wild teenager is named Wade Wilson; his untidy tresses of blond hair were underneath his cherry red beanie hat. He wore a lengthy ink black cardigan with a long hood with matching trousers that are ripped where his knees are located, and a plain crimson red shirt. He began banging his palms on her desk, but she snapped her fingers at him to stop his childish behavior.

                “Sit down and shut up, we’ll get your medicine for you.” She rebuked him fiercely as Wade cursed under his breath and trudged across the public quarters to find a free spot, knowing no one would ever want to be seated next to him. Wade has a personality disorder, despite the positive effect of having wonderful social skills; he has an excessive amount of vitality, and a knack of making people uncomfortable with his peculiar words or actions. He was a mental patient, but he refused to believe that he has a sick mind, he had the notion that his brain is far superior to everyone else because he can see things they cannot. His azure blue eyes began to glitter mischievously and were glazed with dirty love when he saw a young lad concentrating on a huge textbook. Wade cannot resist that he slid diagonally to land on the empty chair that is on Peter’s left side.

                “Sup girl, how about we blow this popsicle stand and ‘engineer some children’?” Wade said smoothly as he leaned incredibly close to Peter with an impish grin.

                “I’m not a girl, and I don’t want to make anything with you.” Peter piped up with a bit of irritation, as he figured that this older man was here to bully him.

                “It’ll be fun, I’m a good-looking guy.”

                “You got the wrong person; I think you were going for that girl over there.”

Peter pointed out to a pretty female with ginger colored hair, but Wade shook his head and did not move his infatuated gaze from Peter’s gorgeous mien.

                “I prefer cute brunettes, especially the nerdy ones, like you. They always want to learn new stuff, and I can teach you a lot of things.” Wade’s voice was oozing with charm and delight, as he lowered his hand to stroke Peter’s thighs. However, Peter smashed his book shut to compress Wade’s limb in between the thick pages, he saw right through his ploy. Wade began swearing as he jerked his palm out of the physics textbook.

                “Nice try, idiot.”

                “Damn, you’re a feisty one!”

                “Why don’t you bother somebody else? I don’t like stupid guys.” Peter mentioned with a livid huff, he was not sure why this stranger has this bizarre interest in him.

                “You’re in luck; I’m here to protect you from that.”

                “Great, why don’t you start by getting away from me?”

                “Don’t be so mean, little minx, you’ll hurt my feelings.”

                “My name is Peter, not some animal you can domesticate.”

                “That’s what you think, and by the way, the names Wade.” The blond youth started playing with the tufts of Peter’s chocolate hair, letting the locks coil around his fingers.

                “Yeah, well, I don’t like you touching me, Wade.” Peter grouched as he flung his hand up to smack Wade’s wrist and for him to release his downy tresses.

                “You’re just saying that because your parents are probably here, huh? “

                “Of course they’re here. If you don’t stop, I’ll get my dad, he hates people who mess with our family.”

                “Go ahead; I wanna meet my future father-in-law.” Wade made a boisterous laugh as he enjoyed teasing this sweet faced youth. Peter began to make a windy sigh as he wondered how long this juvenile delinquent was going to bother him with his toxic words and roving fingers. He was tempted to drop his textbook on Wade’s foot, but decided against it since he did not want to draw any unnecessary attention.

                “You must be crazy if you think we’ll end up together.” Peter commented as he could not picture himself paired with this eccentric male. He did not struggle with his own sexuality since he was raised in a home in which both of his mother and father are affectionate men, so he would prefer to date a guy than a female. Peter was not ashamed to be seen as a homosexual; all that matters is that he finds the right person who would love him as an equal partner.

                “Crazy for you and there’s no cure.”

                “I’m compared to a disease, how romantic.” Peter remarked sarcastically as he desired to discourage Wade from being so insistent. He pondered a bit on the thought if his mom ever had this situation, being relentlessly chased by someone overfilled with lust.

                “Wilson! Take your medicine and go!” The receptionist yelled at Wade who seemed apathetic and bored of the rough scratch of her commanding voice, she tossed the white bag near the edge of her desk.

                “Looks like our date is over, we can always pick it up tomorrow.” Wade mentioned cheerfully as Peter madly crossed his arms against his chest. Wade is obligated to return to the clinic since he has his therapy treatments every day, however; he has a reason to be happier to be in this strict institution and was to see Peter.

                “You wish.” Peter countered simply as he felt a faint berry blush on his mien due to anger and mortification. Wade got up from his chair and snatched his prescription off of the table top while sticking his tongue out meanly at the secretary. He blamed her for ruining his moment with Peter, he was planning on using silly tricks to have an excuse to touch him.

                “Later chickie!” Wade concluded as he pinched Peter’s ruddy cheeks with his hand to make his lips purse out like a fish. Peter immediately jerked away from the grasp and massaged the corners of his mouth from the compression. Wade winked at him with his wolfish smile still intact and stalked off to exit out of the facility, leaving Peter to seethe and dwell on a suitor he never requested for.

 

On the eighth hour, the smoky light of dusk began to descend with its charcoal shawl wrapped around the streets of the vicinity. Within the busy hospital, Tony was still in the operation room with both of his sweaty hands gripping Steve’s sinewy palms. He was drenched with multiple drops of salt water and his visage was swathed with the red shade of heat and with the warm rivets of his fierce tears. Tony was wiggling around, writhing in the intolerable agony under the hot flashes of the incandescent overhead lights. Helen Cho was trying to hold Tony down by his milky white shoulders that were quivering; they were unveiled when his gown was shifted askew since he could not stop fidgeting. Bruce Banner finished slicing an accurate gap for the baby to slip out of; he placed the blood-stained scalpel on the silver tray. Tony released Steve’s large hands and formed a spiteful fist; he tried to punch Steve at his throat since he was getting peeved at his husband for ordering him to keep pushing. However, Steve swiftly ducked down for his wife to miss, feeling the air swish through his golden locks. It only made Tony fume with an unquenchable ire.

                “You weren’t supposed to dodge that, you asshole!” Tony bellowed out as he grabbed Steve by the front of his scrubs. He made piercing yelps as he continued to shove the infant down the birth canal.

                “Do you really want the baby to not have a father—“Steve rationalized coolly as he placed his long fingers on Tony’s knuckles.

                “I should’ve never let you fuck me against that glass door!”

                “Language, my darling—“

                “I don’t give a damn! I’ll say whatever the hell I want!” Tony screeched with antagonism as he thrust harder, feeling stings scrape his inner thighs. Bruce ignored their previous references; he was not inquisitive about how Steve and Tony had sex. Now his brain was desperate for a mind swipe, to take away those sexual images of those two, it was too much information.

                “You’re almost there, Tony.” Bruce announced as he patted Tony’s pumped calves as a sign to give a few final pushes. He could see the baby’s head coming out of the sticky cut tissues. Steve reeled in Tony in a caring embrace as he interlocked his hand with Tony’s, his wife began shrieking nonstop. Bruce saw the newborn slide out slowly, he reached forward to take it out. The noisy cry of the infant rang out when Bruce held it, with its flesh covered with fresh blood and cervix.

                “It looks like you have a boy.” Bruce proclaimed with gentleness as Steve could feel his heart bounce joyfully within his sternum, he had the honor of taking the forceps and snip off the umbilical cord. The young child was given to Helen who carried the baby to a small platform to clean his entire body and maw. However, everyone was alarmed when Tony continued to make ear-splitting howls.

                “Tony! What’s wrong?” Steve questioned with worriment as he did not understand why Tony was still suffering, especially when he is done birthing their second infant. Bruce looked in between his patient’s spread legs to see another scalp behind the mess of red liquid from the grisly hole.

                “Who would have thought… another one on its way.” Bruce discovered that Tony is actually having twins. The news relaxed Steve and it made him beyond content, it was a wonderful surprise, he is blissful of the fact that his wife is blessing him with more heirs. After about forty-five seconds, Bruce managed to haul out the baby, declaring it to be another male in the family, the helpless creature wept loudly as Steve clipped off the lengthy cord. He was on a nearby stand to get washed and to scrub away the remnants of ruby fluid and the layers of white slime that shielded his skin. Tony thumped backwards with a huge sigh with Steve pressing amorous kisses on his feverish forehead and through the soaked dark tresses of his matted hair.

                “Congratulations, you have fraternal twins.” Helen professed with admiration and satisfaction, she and Bruce delivered the babies to Tony who unhurriedly sat up. He welcomed the infants in his arms, seeing how they were bundled in soft blankets. Steve and Tony studied their offspring, seeing that the first baby that came out has little tufts of dark brown hair on his cranium, and the youngest has sunlight yellow hair. Both of them inherited Steve’s entrancing cobalt blue eyes; they stared at Steve and Tony with inquisitive natures.

                “They’re so amazing, Tony. You gave me twins!” Steve said animatedly as he considered the newborns so handsome and healthy. Tony sheathed his tired hazel brown eyes for his long jet black lashes to flutter and he hugged his precious babies, bringing them near to smooch the top of their skulls, feeling the light strands of hair brush against his smiling lips.

                “How funny, more boys.” Tony merely responded with a hoarse voice, his sore gullet felt parched. He could not fathom of the notion that he had twins in his womb the entire time, it explained why his belly was bigger and that he consumed more than the regular amount of food.

                “What should we call them?”

                “How about you name the brunette and I’ll name the blond.”

                “That sounds like a good idea.”

                “What’s it gonna be?”

                “We’ll call him Jared.” Steve finalized as he mildly stroke the tiny arc of Jared’s cheek, he liked the sound of it.

                “And our youngest will be Alex.” Tony decided since he was always fond of the name. He felt so exhausted, but gazing at the round adorable faces of his sons was worth the ache. Tony opened his sparkling eyes and looked up at his proud husband, they shared a gratifying kiss.

                “I don’t mean to interrupt, but we need to transfer you to your room. You need some rest.” Bruce said as he removed his bloody plastic gloves and tossed them in a wastebasket.

                “I need to see Peter; it’s been a long time already.” Tony acknowledged with a bit of sadness, he missed his firstborn terribly; it would be nice to have all his boys together in one place.

                “Dr. Banner is right, try to at least sleep for a while, and then you can see him.” Helen reasoned with a firm but genial attitude, Steve and Tony nodded, listening to their orders, they did not want to take the risk.

 

Approximately an hour and thirty minutes ticked by, Peter leaned back for his head to touch the whitewashed wall as he observed the thin steel slabs of the ventilation systems. He felt abnormal and a bit scared since his mind would constantly present him these unusual memories of seeing a similar image. At the time he was only three, and he swore that he recalled seeing barred windows in his old house, before he and his parents moved to the woodland. However, when he heard the janitor twist the glittering knob of the door to the psychiatric section numerous of times, seeing if the lock was still functional. It made Peter froze and hit by an unknown fear, fragments from the past shot in, making him remember a certain moment of him crying out for his mother and attempting to open a budged door. The repulsive reminiscence of Tony lamenting and repeatedly calling out the words “Please stop…no more Steve…” It only led to more unanswered queries, and it made him so confused, he wrestled with the thought if it connected with what those social secretaries from Child Protective Services were discussing. He was becoming skeptical of their outlandish claims of Steve being a psychotic ogre who pilfered the lives of both women and men he mutilated, deeming him as a revolting serial killer who kept Tony as his sex slave. Before Peter could dive more into the ambiguous portions, he heard the echo of formal shoes stroll through the waiting room. Peter nearly jolted out of paranoia, but he kept his nervous body under control.

                “Hey there Peter, doing all right?” It was Steve stepping out from the dim obscurity with a merry grin on his gorgeous mien.

                “Fine, so how’s mom?” Peter asked as he rose from the chair with physics book in hand.

                “You’ll see. Come on.” Steve replied with glee as he slung his arm around Peter, they walked together to head for Tony’s recovery room which was purposely hidden from any curious eyes. After six minutes, they entered the last chamber in the end of a hall. Peter saw his mother sitting upright on the hospital bed wearing a spotless clinic gown and carrying two babies in both of his sturdy arms.

                “Peter, there you are. I missed you.” Tony responded with a congenial tone in his honeyed vocals which made Peter stretch out a comely smile.

                “Me too.”

                “Well, get over here, these are your brothers, Jared and Alex.”

                “Wow, I have two little brothers?! I didn’t know you were gonna have twins.” Peter exclaimed with astonishment as he took a seat on a wooden chair that was close to the frame of the bedstead and perched the heavy textbook on the counter of an oak drawer.

                “None of us knew, but it’s double the happiness.” Steve clarified as he treasured the sight of seeing all three of his boys and his rapturous wife.

                “Exactly, now that you’re here, it makes it even better.” Tony added in as he and Peter exchanged the look of tenderness, letting him know that he has a special place in their hearts; he will always be their first miracle.

                “I’m going to get us something to drink, want something, Peter?” Steve asked.

                “Oh sure, you can get me whatever.” Peter nodded with appreciation as he watched Steve bend a bit to kiss his temples. His father strolled out, leaving the door halfway open. Jared seemed wide awake and was still examining the new environment, while Alex was soundlessly asleep in the crook of Tony’s arm. Peter caressed the petite hands of his younger brothers, Jared immediately seized Peter’s index finger with a beam and with his azure blue eyes shimmering.

                “Were you able to finish a chapter from your book?” Tony questioned as he wanted to know what Peter has been doing for the last eight hours when he was in labor.

                “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t able to. Some guy named Wade started bothering me.”

                “Was he bullying you—“

                “No, he was flirting nonstop, and it was annoying.” Peter admitted as he saw how Tony seemed stunned.

                “Tell me about him.”

                “If you have to know, he’s crazy in the head. He gets treatment here. He’s a trouble-maker and a pervert.”

                “Is he blond and tall, and have a fit body?”

                “Uh yes…but why does that matter?”

                “Oh god, you basically found the teenage version of your dad. You’re just like me.” Tony remarked with a line pressed tightly on his mouth, it seemed like he was restraining a laugh. He noticed a pattern of insane blonds falling for timid brunettes who resist passionate endeavors, now it seems Peter has unintentionally followed the same path as him.

                “Seriously…?”

                “Definitely, I didn’t like your father at first, but he was so desperate for me to love him back. He would always try to flatter me.”

                “Dad is not anything like Wade, I really don’t like him.” Peter countered with a moody breath as he reclined back on the furniture with arms crossed.

                “Who knows, you might change your mind.”

                “Can we not talk about him anymore; just thinking about him gives me the creeps.”

                “All right, what do you want to talk about?” Tony relented as he was a bit disappointed that Peter ceased their conversation of a man who has a crush on him, he liked teasing him. The both of them have mentioned Steve earlier and it caused Peter to recoil back into his original reflections when he was in the waiting room. The anomalous remembrances of a wealthy secluded domain with gray bars over the crystal windows and locked in a gloomy area, desperately trying to escape, screaming with fraught over the disconcerting cries from his mother’s throat. It was haunting him and the lingering words from those social secretaries, flapping their tongues to accuse his father, his sole defender, of being an odious criminal.

                “Mom…is dad a killer?” Peter inquired with a grave expression, he saw how Tony instantly shivered and seemed alarmed.

                “Why are you asking this?”

                “When I was sent to CPS, the workers there, they were saying that my father deserved to die because he took so many lives.”

                “You weren’t supposed to ever know…” Tony merely responded with a gulp, he was ashamed and he knew that Peter has finally figured it out. There was no use in concealing the matter anymore.

                “Oh my god…that night when I was three years old…he—he hurt you! Didn’t he?!” Peter roared out as he sprang out his seat with a mix between rage and grief. He glued the shards together, barely recalling that he smelled the copper scent of blood when his mother sat near his bed on such a disastrous night, explaining to him that his father was ill…but he wasn’t aware that it really meant that Steve was sick in the mind.

                “Peter, listen to me, he didn’t mean to—“

                “Tell me everything, now!”

                “I worked in an asylum that went amuck; your father found me and forced me to be his wife. I’m not gonna lie, I hated him at first, but soon I loved him back—“

                “How could you, he killed people didn’t he? And he hurt you! I don’t understand how you can love a monster!”

                “Don’t say that! He is your father, he loves the whole family, and he’ll do anything to keep us safe!” Tony replied with a heartbroken tenor as Jared and Alex were getting fussy when hearing the distressing pitch in their mother’s vocals.

                “I can’t believe this…” Peter responded with a jagged whisper as he buried his forlorn face against his shaky palm. He slowly walked across to lean his right shoulder on the frame of the open door. Peter carefully analyzed the murky corridor to see Steve in front of a vending machine getting a cup of hot coffee and getting a can of peach juice. However, it seemed surreal since the bar of light on the ceiling was weak and it flickered in an ominous fashion, making Steve become swallowed by both indigo shadow and pale white light. Steve was whistling an archaic tune that was familiar, it was the song: _I Want a Girl_. Peter felt paralyzed when he saw Steve turn a little, making him see those icy frost blue eyes glow in the darkness, penetrating his entire body and making chills crawl up his spine. _Jared, Alex, and me…we’re the sons of a devil…I hate you…I hate you dad!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 15, we'll see what will happen!


	15. Fragmented

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's going to take a while for Peter to accept his own father, and the past comes back to haunt Tony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for not uploading for so long, a lot of things happened. Here is chapter 15, finally!

         Peter Stark-Rogers whirled his head away from the dementing sight of Steve who appeared so unholy underneath the trembling overhead fluorescent light with his stormy blue eyes glittering like a savage panther in an immense jungle. He looked at Tony who could not mask his despondency and the clear sheen of water forming in the rims of his hazel brown eyes. Tony was afraid of the truth finally being revealed to his son who was ignorant for almost fifteen years; he undoubtedly knew that Peter would become hateful and even frightened by his own father by the news. Peter spun around to cross the beige tile floor and to stand near Tony with a grim expression, with his fawn irises blazed with intensity. Tony was speechless and immobile, he regretted for unveiling such horrific secrets, but he could not keep avoiding it, especially when his own son does not want him to lie to him anymore. He did not know what made him blurt out such terrible news within a second, but it must have been because Peter solved the mystery. Peter recalled those high pitch screams in a smoky evening and so did Tony, who despises that particular memory. It was twelve years ago when Steve snapped out jealousy, making him bleed with the cut of his knuckles and the tip of a kitchen knife, the silver fin of the dagger incising his forearm, painfully branding him as a whore.

                “Why would you hate your own father, the one who has loved you and kept you out of harm’s way? How can you hate him—“Tony said with dejection, he could not comprehend why Peter immediately casted away his positive feelings towards Steve and quickly replace it with loathing.

                “You expect me to overlook the things he has done, especially to you? Why should I praise him for domestic abuse and for murder!?” Peter interrupted with a grouch as he felt his belligerence and detestation originate from the idea of being taught of what is right or wrong. He was raised with strict moral codes and he disliked violence, but for his father to mistreat his sweet mother was intolerable.

                “You must understand, it’s not his fault.”

                “Really, or he’s not the person who I thought he was.” Peter croaked as he felt the web of lies is what helped contributed to this sudden abhorrence, Steve was dishonest and concealed his infamy. He felt Steve was only acting happy to have a family, make him appear good and pure to the public eye so that no one can arrest him and put him to death. The real source of hatred evolved from the notion of Steve possibly deceiving them with fake emotions, that his love is not genuine, but a mere ploy to protect himself. Tony was about to engage into a dense conversation with Peter, to try to remove these awful assumptions from his son’s brain. However, he was not able to since Jared and Alex began to wiggle and pip up a few miserable cries, and Steve finally returned to the private sector with two beverages in his large hands.

                “Looks like the twins are acting up.” Steve commented with a chuckle as he failed to notice how Peter scooted a few inches away when he stood next to him.

                “They had a long day, all of us did.” Tony answered with a weak smile as he began to shush the squabbling babies quietly.

                “I got you this, Peter.” The tall blond said as he held out an aluminum can filled with the delicious nectar of peach juice.

                “I don’t want it.” Peter replied softly as he crossed his arms against his chest and shifted his sight from his father.

                “I thought you wanted something to drink?”

                “I’m not thirsty anymore.”

                “Well, all right, perhaps later.” Steve nodded as he took a sip from his cup to consume his steaming hot coffee and placed the sealed can on the oak drawer with Peter’s physics book still on top of it. Tony nervously fixed the folds of Jared’s and Alex’s loose blankets, and hushing them gently as they began to settle down with a couple of wispy whimpers. The family heard the clapping of feet tap against the glossy linoleum; they saw Helen Cho and Bruce Banner enter the chamber.

                “It’s time to say your good nights, visiting hours are over.” Bruce announced with his brown clipboard in hand, Steve felt a bit anxious of leaving Tony behind; he never separates from his wife.

                “I’ll be fine, you and Peter better go. You two need some rest.” Tony reassured as he handed the twins to Helen, who transferred the babies to a nearby room for them and for their mother to get some sleep.

                “Are you sure you’ll be okay? I still don’t trust these doctors.” Steve whispered with his warm breath streaking Tony’s cheek, he pressed a mild kiss against Tony’s ruddy red lips.

                “Yeah, just get going. It’s late.”

                “All right, we’ll be back in the morning. Good night my darling.”

                “Mom, I want to stay with you.” Peter mumbled in a low volume as he hugged Tony tightly, his desperate fingers clinging unto the airy hospital gown.

                “I’m sorry, but you should go with your daddy.” Tony answered with dejection as he planted a heartwarming smooch on the crest of his son’s forehead.

                “Let’s go home, Peter.” Steve spoke up with a cordial voice as Peter was terrified of the notion that he will be alone with an insane serial killer. He did not want to be anywhere near Steve, but he did not have many options to choose from. Peter silently accompanied Steve to the exit, glancing at his worried mother one last time, and vanished into the purple shadows. Tony made a long shuddering sigh, he glimpsed at his right to notice that Peter has left his unopened can of juice and his thick textbook.

                “Lie down, Tony. You need to recover your strength.” Bruce ordered as he tapped the peak of his blue pen against the surface of his clipboard, he and Tony were the only ones remaining in the room.

                “I don’t know if I can, doc.” Tony replied honestly, but he obeyed and stretched out on his left side, he perched his temples on the puffy pillow and brought his fingers close to his mouth like a frightened child. Bruce crossed over to stand near the bedstead as he watched how Tony curled up his beautiful naked legs to resemble a fetus, quaking out of apprehension and by the chilling gusts from the ventilation.

                “Something on your mind?”

                “Peter, he figured out about Steve’s past. I think I made a big mistake, I told him the truth.”

                “Well, I don’t think it was the right time.”

                “What was I supposed to do, keep lying to him? I felt trapped.”

                “You probably should have told him to wait; it’s a private matter that should be discussed at home.” Bruce responded, shaking his head as Tony made a hard swallow. He realized he listened to his impulses rather than exercise self-control, he felt idiotic for rushing the truth.

                “How could I be so stupid…?” Tony simply muttered with regret as he shivered fiercely by the cold air nipping his velvet skin and by the terrible error that he committed. Bruce pitied this poor creature as he cloaked the entire lower half of Tony’s body with a pale white bedsheet that almost fell off the edge.

                “Everything will be okay.” Bruce commented as he was quite skeptical, but he did want to alleviate the stress that his patient was emitting. He tried to show some encouragement by patting the pallor knuckles of Tony’s curled hand; he soon tightened his grip by completely encasing it in his warm palm.

                “Thanks, Dr. Banner.”

                “You’re welcome.”

                “Just make sure not to tell Steve that you held my hand. He wouldn’t like that.” Tony warned with a small smile as he felt Bruce quickly unravel his fingers. He made an uncomfortable cough in the pit of his throat, aware that Tony’s husband would ignite in a horrifying rage by the caring gesticulation.

                “I wasn’t planning to.” Bruce answered in a skittish manner as he watched Tony lower his heavy eyelids with an uneasy expression. Tony was not certain if he could succumb to slumber that awaited for him, not when Peter was plagued with feelings of indignation and panic towards Steve. He hoped that the two of them were all right, and that their deceiving emotions won’t invoke them to do or say anything reckless.

 

The dismal hour of the tense evening with its brisk air and lingering shadows seemed to stretch longer; Peter and Steve were inside of a yellow taxi cab. Peter scooted closer to the cold window, seeing his wispy breath spread on the glass like white fog. It was silent with the exception of the hum of the engine and the other zooming cars buzzing past. Steve glanced at Peter with confusion and suspicion when observing the quietness and Peter’s refusal to speak or look at him. He could not understand why Peter was acting so distant with him, especially when they have a good relationship. Steve wondered what could have possibly happened to have Peter shun him suddenly, he pondered if his son was worried about having two new baby boys in the house, if it was going to influence him and Tony to direct less attention towards him. Soon enough, the bright vehicle entered the claws of the woodland; Steve paid the driver and exited out with Peter to enter the cabin with the house keys. He unlocked it and saw Peter wordlessly walk in, crossing the short unlit hallway and slam the door shut behind him. Steve made a sad shaky sigh as he slowly paced over to the direction of his son’s bedroom; he leaned against the frame and knocked gently on the oak door.

                “Peter, you’ve been acting so strange. What’s the matter?” Steve questioned curiously as he could not detect a single noise within the space for about a minute.

                “Nothing, I’m just tired, I’m going to bed.” Peter called out sounding a bit irritated as Steve listened to the sharp flicks of blankets being scattered around.

                “Okay, good night. I love you.” Steve concluded the awkward exchange as he was astonished that Peter did not say ‘I love you too’ like he typically does every day. The anxious blond trudged into the dark purple environment of his and Tony’s bed chambers; he tossed the bronze keys on top of the drawer. He sat down on the edge of the big mattress, mildly rubbing the spot where Tony sleeps, the place felt empty and lifeless without his pretty wife, he missed him already. Steve could use a few words of encouragement and a consoling gesture from Tony to quell the storm of misery and pain in his interior. He could only shiver from the lack of warmth from his lover’s body and the frigid demeanor from his firstborn son; he shook his head in woe, wrestling over of what can be the main cause of this sudden antagonism from Peter. Steve unlaced his polished charcoal black shoes and set them aside, he allowed himself to lie down on Tony’s side of the bed. He perched his temples upon the plush pillow, catching the delicious aroma of his wife’s flowery perfume and the mango scented shampoo he uses while showering. Steve made a deep inhale to let the appetizing odors drift into the caves of his nostrils, forcing him to imagine the familiar actions of always nuzzling the flank of Tony’s slender neck and feel the downy brush of those chocolate brown tendrils against his smiling lips. He felt so alone and he was tormented by the remembrances of roving through the icy shadows of Mount Massive Asylum, the absence of love and company was his grim tale within that doomed facility. Steve did not desire for this part of his lifetime to collapse, he has left all the awful memories of being experimented on behind, and finally forged a real family in a stable setting. He cannot tolerate the idea of this entire picture to cease to exist; he couldn’t idly live on to let this paradise be exterminated. Steve still has numerous of years to be in this earth; he is only a hundred and fifteen, granted with eternal youth from the substance testing of those physicians. He needs to fix this, do anything to keep harmony; he cannot be content if his own son loathes him for the rest of his lifespan.

 

             After a few days, Tony was finally released from the hospital. It was a dreary afternoon with the ominous shredded clouds accumulating together in the steel gray sky. Jen Walters was able to pick up both Steve and Peter to head over to the clinic, waiting for them while they ventured in the bustling halls of the building. Steve brought over a clean set of clothes for Tony to change into; it was a cotton pink sweater and a navy blue floral skirt with its hem over his kneecaps. The tactful blond peeled away his own hunter green jacket to conceal Tony’s face from the public eye. He pushed the wheelchair that his wife was seated on; Tony carried an energetic Jared and a drowsy Alex in the crook of his folded arms. Peter silently followed his gleeful family with a bit of distance; he was absentminded and inattentive to his surroundings. He felt a rough hand grip his right shoulder from behind and he immediately grappled it, his fingers tightened and threatened to break the phalanges, but he stopped himself from cracking the bones.

                “Ow! Are you mad at me for not seeing you for a while?” It was the eccentric older teenager Wade Wilson; he made a tiny whine of the harsh grasp. He just finished another round of therapy with his physician and happened to discover Peter, he wanted to surprise him, but it did not work out so well.

                “Oh, it’s just you.” Peter answered with indifference as he released Wade’s red-purple hand.

                “Wow, what’s eating you?”

                “It’s none of your business, just go away.”

                “Are your mom and dad here? Can I meet them?” Wade questioned with urgency as he was quite curious of what Peter’s parents look like. He had plenty of time since his session is over in the clinic.

                “No, just go home.” Peter responded firmly as he scampered out of the sliding doors to join his mother and father. Wade trotted out of the medical facility to see Peter barely climb into Jen’s car, he immediately ran up to a taxi cab that was parked near the curb.

                “So, we’re we going, kid?” The cab driver asked with disinterest as he watched Wade get into the vehicle.

                “Just take me wherever that white car is going. I’m on the hunt!” Wade replied with his usual cocky grin, he pointed at the Lexus car. The taxi driver nodded and proceeded to follow in a reasonable range, Wade was not willing to let Peter go just yet.

 

After a few minutes, Jen Walters dropped off the family on the front of their house; she could not stay since she had to get back to work with Director Pierce on the Von Doom case. So, they entered their cozy cabin in the woods with the twin babies squabbling joyfully. Tony changed Jared into a lion onesie, with the sand-colored furry mane encircling his round face, with the little round mustard ears on the hood, and the long skinny tail dangling on the backside. Alex was put into a red panda pajama, with pointy fire ears and a bushy striped tail. He left the infants in Steve’s care so he can get started on cooking lunch. Tony was blissful when he heard the delightful sounds of Steve’s hearty laugh and the happy shrieks from Jared and Alex. He took a peek from the corner to see the twin boys try to mount on top of Steve who lied down, they kept sliding off of his abdomen and landing on the couch pillows. However, he felt nervous when he noticed Peter sitting near the marble frame of the empty fireplace with arms crossed and his gaze piercing towards Steve.

                “Peter, we haven’t spoken for almost five days. I know something is wrong.” Steve broke the awkward silence as he scooped up Jared and Alex in the bulk of his arm and gently set them on the carpet.

                “I have nothing to say to you.” Peter grouched as he slowly rose to his feet and was about to leave the chamber until Steve moved to snatch Peter by his wrist.

                “Why are you acting like this?”

                “Let me go!”

                “Not until you tell me what’s bothering you!” Steve responded strictly as Peter was trying to remove his father’s sturdy clutch, but the attempt was futile. Jared and Alex were disturbed by the sudden antagonism, their petite rosy faces began to scrunch up, ready to burst into upsetting bawls. Tony had enough; he circled the wall and grabbed the bony white knuckles of his husband to signal to him to let Peter go.

                “You two are gonna make the twins cry, so stop it!” Tony hissed under his breath as Steve obeyed to unravel his fingers from Peter’s limb.

                “Crying?! Just how he made you cry—no one helped you, mom! I couldn’t even help you, from him!” Peter finally cracked under the immense pressure with his index finger jabbed towards Steve as an accusation, there were angry tears brimming in his eye sockets. Tony was alarmed by the outburst while Steve was perplexed of the indictment. Peter was blinded by rage that he ran past his parents, thrusting the door open to exit; Steve went after him as Tony followed. The whole forest was becoming soaked by the start of a rainfall; Steve forced Tony to stay at the porch since he felt the need to handle the situation himself.

                “What are you trying to say, Peter?!” Steve called out as he watched Peter turn around. They stood apart, facing one another, their flesh and clothes drenched with streams of heaven’s water.

                “I know what you really are; you’re a wife-beater and a murderer. You’re the one who hurt mom when I was three, and you’ve killed people in the past!”

                “But how can that be—“

                “I’ve put all the pieces together; you can’t lie to me anymore.”

                “You wouldn’t understand, I needed to do those things, so we can have a good life.”

                “That doesn’t explain why you made mom bleed!”

                “There is no explanation for that, because I know that is a mistake I’ll always regret—I was very out of control at that time—“

                “You’re just full of excuses; you don’t deserve to be called a father and a husband!” Peter finalized as his hands curled into fists, it struck a raw nerve in Steve who instantly froze by the heartless declaration. Peter sprinted away to vanish within the thick cluster of the tall trees as Steve could feel his own heart crumble, he was stunned and disappointed that Peter has learned such an abominable truth. It wounded him the most that Peter denounced him, no longer acknowledging him as his parent anymore.

                “He shouldn’t go out there alone! Steve, we have to get him back!” Tony said in a distressing pitch as he was apprehensive of the thought of his firstborn wandering aimlessly in the woodland with no protection.

                “You stay with the twins, I’ll go after him.” Steve reasonably stated as he needed Tony to stay and care for their newborn babies. Tony watched his husband run off towards the direction where Peter headed; he shook his head and covered his trembling ruddy red lips with his hand, praying that no evil will befall on his spouse and son.

 

The undersides of Peter’s Converse shoes stomped the moist earth, crushing the crinkled auburn leaves and splashing against the shallow puddles. He dodged the ragged limbs of the sullen trees, he felt weary for running such a long period of time. He could hear heavy footsteps drawing near and the slender branches of the soaring trees were snapped. Peter was afraid of the eerie noises as it began to rain harder; he jumped over a soggy log and dared not to look behind him. He felt lashes of the screaming gales and frosty water droplets sting his frightened mien, he grunted when he felt the side of his right shoulder scrape against a withered branch. The razor sharp twig tore a bit of his sleeved shirt, leaving a piece of the fabric hanging on the thorn. Suddenly, he felt a hand clamp over his mouth and he was seized by the waist. Peter was flung behind the trunk of a massive tree, his almond brown eyes widened out of astonishment when he saw it was Wade Wilson.

                “There’s somebody out there.” Wade whispered quietly as he removed his palm from Peter’s maw, they peeked from their hiding spot.

                “It’s just my dad—I had to get away from him for a while.” Peter coughed as he tried to inhale oxygen for his panting lungs. He and Wade were paralyzed when they saw Steve emerge from the dark embrace of the trees, the blond appeared pained and concerned, but he seemed animalistic in Peter’s perspective. Steve found the ripped cloth from Peter’s shirt; he thumbed the material with his anxiety level rising. He was frustrated of how the saturated environment was blocking his sense of smell, he cannot track Peter by scent, especially when it has been washed away.

                “Damn, your daddy is scary-looking.” Wade commented as he was a bit intimidated by the height and muscle of the attractive blond.

                “Shut up, he’ll hear us.” Peter murmured with annoyance as he was aware that Steve is some sort of advance human, one tiny noise would give away their location. Wade and Peter were silent and motionless for a minute, until they saw Steve veer off to the right to disappear within the weeping cluster of trees and plants. The two young lads made a long exhale, seeing their breaths steak the chilly air, calming the irregular beats of their provoked hearts. Peter slumped against the rough bark of the tree and slid down in a disconcerting quietness, he sat on the mossy ground; hugging his legs and feeling the raindrops dowse the nape of his neck. Wade was a bit worried of Peter’s melancholy mood; he crouched down next to him, propping his elbows on his kneecaps.

                “Wanna talk about it?” Wade spoke up as he allowed for his roving eyes to watch the small flowers become caked with slimy mud.

                “You wouldn’t get it.”

                “Oh come on, what happened? You two had a fight or something?”

                “Exactly, but I don’t think it’s worth telling.” Peter answered softly as he was not certain if it is wise to share personal information about his unusual family to an outsider. However, he was desperate to unload his burdensome thoughts.

                “I mean it’s not like your dad killed someone—“Wade began with a jesting snicker, but he paused when he noticed how Peter did not join the laughter and had an expression that was mixed between austerity and fraught.

                “How—”

                “Wait, so he actually killed a person, I was just joking around—“

                “Not just one, lots—so I’ve heard.”

                “People you know?”

                “No, I don’t even know who they were.” Peter acknowledged as he tilted his head up to stare blankly at the violet swirls in the sinister sky. He felt there was no point in trying to hide his father’s sinful secret.

                “Maybe he had a good reason for taking them out.” Wade mentioned with a shrug as he threw his gloved hands behind his skull, Peter gasped with bewilderment and horror when he heard the careless statement.

                “What could be a good reason for what he has done?!”

                “I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure you don’t know the whole story.”

                “True, but it’s just hard to realize that one of your parents is some kind of serial killer. All my life I admired my dad, I wanted to be like him, but now I can’t even look at him without passing judgment.”

                “So, what are you gonna do? Run away? I mean if you do, you got nowhere to go, I’m just saying.”

                “I have no clue, but anything is better than going back with my dad and pretending nothing happened. He only needs mom, me, and my brothers to avoid the cops. This whole time, he faked everything, he doesn’t love us.” Peter confessed the cause of his odium towards Steve.

                “I can’t say that’s true or not, but what about your mom?”

                “What about my mom?”

                “Doesn’t she—or he…? Wait; is your mom a chick or a dude?” Wade inquired immediately since he has the belief that certain men can be mothers, it was part of the thought process of his mentality.

                “My mom is a man.”

                “That makes sense, but it sounds like you hate your mom too.”

                “I don’t hate him!”

                “Really? How come you’re making him worried by being out here, and even thinking leaving home for good?”

                “I didn’t even think about him…he must be disappointed in me.” Peter sighed mournfully as he began to quiver by the icy raindrops that were falling rapidly. He was a bit impressed of Wade introducing a revealing insight, to provide him the motivation to abandon his rash plans, and return home for his mother’s sake.

                “Nah, he’s probably just going crazy, wondering where the hell you are, thinking about the worst thing that can happen to you—“ Wade was rambling without one hint of reassurance, it only made Peter become ashamed of making Tony apprehensive. He was not certain if he can forgive Steve yet, despite quelling the sentiments of misery and animosity. However, he was willing to put an end to Tony’s suffering, no need to torture his mind any further of pessimistic notions.

                “All right, I get it, just stop talking. This is not helping.”

                “If it didn’t, then why did you change your mind so fast about going home?”

                “Listening to you is a real pain.”

                “Great, my job here is done. I deserve a reward for my heroism.”

                “What’s your idea of a reward?” Peter hesitated to ask, but he went ahead to satisfy his curiosity, and since Wade was nice enough to lead him to the right decision, he was willing to show a bit of kindness.

                “I wanna meet your parents.”

                “That’s it? Well, it’s better if you don’t; my parents are not exactly conventional.”

                “I need to see the people who are responsible for my buttercup.” Wade said with a gush of happiness as he pinched Peter’s left cheek playfully.

                “Let go of my face—you already saw my dad.”

                “That doesn’t count, we were running from him. I know, let’s meet up with him, and then go to your house!”

                “If I thought your ideas couldn’t get any worse.”

                “I can find him; I have like a sixth sense.”

                “I kind of don’t want to see him right now—“

                “You eventually have to, might as well get it over with.”

                “I don’t trust you, and especially anything you say.” Peter remarked with a flat tone as Wade scrambled from the forest floor and proceeded to yank Peter by the arm to get him up.

                “What a coincidence, I don’t either. We agree on something!” Wade crackled humoredly as Peter believed that his answer seems to make no sense. He could feel Wade nudge his ribs with his elbow, signifying that he should follow him.

                “Then how are we going to find my dad in such a huge place?”

                “Quit your worrying, I’ll handle it.”

                “Wait, now that I think about it, how did you even find me? You shouldn’t even be here.” Peter exclaimed with awareness to the odd circumstance, he scampered a little behind Wade.

                “Oh yeah, about that. I took a cab and stalked you.”

                “You really are a full-time creep.”

                “At least I put effort into my missions.”

                “Let’s just hurry this up. I don’t even want to think about my mom getting an anxiety attack.”

                “It’s only been three hours since you disappeared, no biggie.” Wade remained nonchalant as he gently grabbed behind him to clasp his hand onto Peter’s wrist.

                “For you it’s not, but I have to get back.” Peter said with his voice cracking out of trepidation and mortification, his cheeks were a little flushed with a light strawberry pink when Wade was tugging him mildly. He also noted how the rainfall was coming to a halt; the day was still dingy and frigid.

                “It’s your lucky day, pumpkin. I think I hear your dad, we’re getting close to him.”

                “How is that possible? I don’t hear anything.”

                “Hmm, he must have circled around this area…so that means he’s coming back here to check again—smart guy.” Wade muttered with a bit of praise for Steve’s tactics, his ears were able to detect the clatter of hasty footsteps.

                “Are you even human?” Peter reluctantly queried as he can see that Wade is physically a normal teenager, but he seems to possess his own furtive abilities.

                “Are any of us really human?”

Wade’s question forced Peter to bite his own bottom lip with tautness; it provided a sense of discomfort since it challenged the true essence of mankind, especially when there are those who act more as a beast than a person. It made Wade almost appear both austere and a bit terrifying by such an open inquest, but it was soon forgotten when they both carefully skated down a pile of gooey muck on a low hill. They landed on the leveled ground filled with matted weeds and the lemon green grass; they saw a lone lofty figure slog out of the bushy groves. It was Steve, still carrying the piece of cloth from Peter’s ripped shirt. His visage was speckled with a few lines of dirt; his fair skin had a couple of light scratches. Wade released his grapple from Peter, seeing Steve waste no time in hurrying over to the two of them. Steve made a huge sigh of relief as he collected his son in the firm hold of his arms.

                “I’m so glad you’re safe.” Steve made a hush whisper as Peter’s body remained rigid, a part of him was jovial of the fact that his father was sincerely worried about him, but the other half was still wrought with antipathy. He cannot forgive Steve quite yet; he still needs a little more time.

                “I just want to go home.” Peter merely replied tiredly as he slowly withdrew from the warm embrace, he felt his russet brown eyes blink rapidly to retain any tears that dared to seep out. Steve nodded and rubbed the grime off of Peter’s jawline.

                “Who are you?” The muscular blond probed strictly when he noticed the mysterious seventeen year old.

                “I’m Wade Wilson; it’s an honor to meet me.” Wade responded with a surge of haughtiness as he felt Steve’s sea blue eyes stab him internally.

                “Umm, he kept me safe.”

                “If that’s true, then you have my thanks.”

                “No thanks needed, you got a good boy.”

                “I’m sure my wife will be grateful, why don’t you come into our home to dry off?” Steve formed an invitation despite having distrust in this stranger; he was trying to be compassionate like his spouse. His nose traced a peculiar scent on Wade’s body, it smelled familiar, and it rattled his brain to think about his distant past. It was not the copper odor of shed blood, but similar to rotten meat. Steve wanted to keep his sight on this odd fellow, he had to make sure Wade isn’t a spy or field agent trying to terminate their family.

                “No, I’m sure Wade’s parents are expecting him any time soon—“Peter was trying to prevent Wade from accepting the offer.

                “Count me in.” Wade quickly interjected with enthusiasm as Peter buried his face against the palm of his hand. Peter could already feel his entire mien glow into a flaming red; he wondered how his mother would react when they bring in a boy with a personality disorder.

 

Approximately twenty-nine minutes passed by, Tony Stark-Rogers was sitting on the couch in the living room with his arms cradling the twin babies who appear elated and secure. They seemed merry when noting the lovely smile on their mother’s crimson red lips, they crowed cutely, and their tiny hands would finger the pink material of Tony’s top. The brunette was trying to soothe the newborns since they were bawling earlier by the absence of their father and older brother. Tony heard the twist of the doorknob and swung his head to see the front door open, he saw his dearest husband accompanied with their eldest son, and with an unexpected guest.

                “Thank goodness, are you all right Peter? Are you hurt?” Tony bolted out of his seat with Jared and Alex still resting against his warm chest. He trotted over to examine every inch of Peter to see if he has any injuries that need to be treated, but he was so content of his firstborn’s return.

                “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m sorry for worrying you.” Peter expressed his remorse as he hugged his mother, feeling his little siblings seize his burnish brown locks of hair.

                “Please, don’t do that again.”

                “I won’t.”

                “My darling, this young man named Wade has found our Peter for us. He managed to keep him out of danger.” Steve clarified as he gestured to the teenager.

                “Is that so? Then I can’t thank you enough.”

                “Wow, so you’re really Peter’s mom?”

                “Uh, yes I am, is there a problem?”

                “No, but damn! You’re a hottie with a naughty body!” Wade complimented fervently as he was bewitched by Tony’s beauty, he can see where Peter gets his gorgeous features from. Steve seemed irked and he felt his blood boil when noticing how Wade would shift his eyes on different parts of his wife’s body.

                “That’s my wife, not yours. Watch yourself, kid.” Steve hissed near Wade’s ear, his palm smacked the back of the teen’s skull. Tony was stunned by the gross veneration from Wade; he silently praised Steve for hitting him, as the babies were giggling.

                “I’m a little thirsty, anyone else?” Peter was attempting to change the topic as he motioned for the group to join him in the kitchen.

                “Me too. Steve, would you hold the twins for a little bit?” Tony agreed quickly as he piled the cheerful infants into his husband’s strong arms.

                “Of course, my darling. Would you like anything, Mr. Wilson?” Steve was putting a lot of effort to be civil towards this troublemaker. Peter got himself a fresh glass of water from the facet and stood close to Wade who parked himself on one of the charcoal black stools.

                “Nah, I’m cool.” Wade peeled off his ink black cardigan and dropped the wet clothing on the slick countertop. Tony was about to fetch himself a can of pineapple juice from the refrigerator, however; he stopped when he saw Wade’s left arm. It was completely etched with deep scars and the flesh seemed raw or molted. He placed his hand over his mouth in tremor. Steve was both astonished and revolted; he realized that this is the stench that he whiffed earlier. He and Tony knew exactly what his condition was, but Peter slightly flinched when studying the flaked limb.

                “Wade, can you tell me what happened to your arm?” Tony asked cautiously as Wade’s disposition did not alter at all, he was still jolly.

                “Oh this old thing? Well, I was diagnosed with cancer a long while back, it was pretty bad. My parents freaked out, until one day a man offered treatment for it. So, for a couple of weeks, I stayed in this place—what was it called again? Right! It was Mount Massive Asylum.” Wade enlightened as he scraped the crusty epidermis with his fingertip. Tony and Steve felt a mixture between frost and dread, a revelation dawned on them. Wade must have been exposed to the Morphogenic Engine before the madhouse was wrecked, and he clearly has the same complexion of the Variants on his arm.

                “This man who offered this treatment, did he go by the name of Von Doom? And do you remember what the doctors did to you?” Steve rolled out his critical questions without disinclination.

                “Yup, that’s the guy’s name. I don’t recall much, except getting strapped down and seeing a weird film that was pretty violent. They used some vaccines here and there.”

                “They experimented on you as well. You were close to becoming a Variant; they probably tested you to see if you can become the Walrider that they can control.” Tony gulped loudly as he was shaky of the notion that Wade’s life has been intertwined with him and his family the whole time.

                “This doesn’t really make any sense, Variants and the Walrider?” Peter spoke up with confusion as Tony softly kneaded his shoulder.

                “Von Doom had people with either physical or mental illnesses go through a painful process, he tortured the sick to create and control his own beast of power.”

                “I never knew that part, the only reason I didn’t stay in the asylum for long was because my parents saw that the treatment made me worse. They took me out, and I was helped out by Dr. Helen Cho from the local clinic.” Wade illuminated further as Peter felt sympathetic towards him, this constant reference to Mount Massive Asylum is an intriguing theme that he would have to ask his mother about in a later day.

                “It looks like you’re the same as us; we all did our time in that place.” Steve said with a grim tenor as his marvelous jaw clenched of the ghastly memories.

                “At least they didn’t keep you in there; your parents had enough sense to pull you out before it was too late.” Tony reasoned as he curled his hand against his sternum, making a long inhale to calm his nerves.

                “So, what would have happened if I stayed?”

                “You would have fully transformed into a Variant, completely deformed inside and out.”

                “I lucked out then. I mean my parents wanted to sue Von Doom for messing me up, but they couldn’t—“

                “Of course they weren’t able to, Von Doom is untouchable. He has enough money and strength to escape every lawsuit or arrest.” Steve provided additional details, he yearned in the pit of his dark heart to slay this industrialist once and for all.

                “Yeah, you’re telling me. My mom and pops were ready to sue him, but later they decided not to. They never told me why, I guess they were afraid of him.”

                “I’m sorry Wade, for everything—“Peter was a little guilty for acting rude towards him, especially when the blond teenager has experienced so much injustice.

                “It’s all good; you just needed to get to know me.” Wade encouraged with a tender smile as he felt delighted that Peter made a cordial expression.

                “Well, thank you for all you’ve done for us. I’m sure your parents are worried about you, would you like a ride home?” Tony inquired kindly as he appreciated Wade for protecting Peter and share a bit of his personal life.

                “You’re so nice; too bad you’re already some other guy’s wife.”

                “Finders keepers, little brat.” Steve reacted in a snobbish manner as he made a cruel sneer, he relishes on rubbing salt on every male who take an interest in Tony. His obsessive attitude urges him to torment others that he claimed Tony first.

                “Let me just take you home, before this gets more out of hand.”

 

            After two days, Steve Rogers was inside the snug cabin in the woodland. It was the early afternoon and he was in charge of taking care of the twins. Tony took Peter to the medical center to see Dr. Bruce Banner; Peter was scheduled to get a vaccine to prevent him for getting Hepatitis A. Steve was having a wonderful time with the adorable babies; he sat in between them within a big play pen. They were surrounded with numerous of plush pillows and colorful quilted blankets. Alex was chewing on a large orange plastic ball with his healthy pink gums as Jared flopped over on Steve’s lap, tugging at the seams of his father’s jeans. Steve’s charming smile lingered on his lips as he watched Jared repeatedly pat his thick thigh, Alex’s attention was still focused on the bouncy toy.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Steve carefully settled Jared down on a wooly sheet; he rose to lift his legs out of the expansive pen to open the front entry of the house. He saw it was his and his wife’s lawyer Jen Walters; it has been a while since she came over to their residence.

                “Hello Steve, is Tony here?” Jen enquired as she was wearing a pair of unwrinkled slacks and an airy green blouse.

                “No, is something the matter?” Steve asked as he quirked his right eyebrow upward, he saw a vanilla white envelope in her hands.

                “I wouldn’t say anything is wrong, but make sure Tony gets this.” Jen gave the small packet to Steve, it was seen that it has been cut open before, but now it is taped up.

                “What is it?”

                “It’s a letter that he should have gotten months ago. It was when Director Pierce and I were investigating Miles Upshur’s disappearance which led us to Tony as a prime suspect. The FBI intercepted all of Tony’s mail to get more information on him at the time.”

                “So, it was when you and Pierce hunted us down.”

                “Precisely, but I have a feeling that Tony should read this letter.”

                “All right, I’ll give it to my wife.”

                “Thank you.”

                “Would you like to stay for a few minutes?”

                “I can’t, I have to get back to work, maybe some other time.”

                “Right, well, goodbye Miss Walters.” Steve concluded as Jen nodded and headed over to her Lexus car. He locked the front door behind him and walked across the boarded floor for his bare feet to slap against the wooden surface. Steve sat on the burgundy red couch to continue supervising the lively twins, Jared and Alex began rolling the bright ball with exuberance. The curious blond scrutinized the envelope that only has his wife’s name written across, he was aware that he should wait for Tony to come home and look over it. However, his impulsive nature caused his fingers to pry off the transparent tape and take out a letter; Steve read the short private message out loud:

_Dear Anthony,_

_I’m worried about you; you haven’t spoken to us since you took that job in Mount Massive Asylum. What’s going on? I’ve recently heard that it’s been burned to the ground. I have no idea where you are, and that scares me. Do you have a place to stay, do you need help? I’m begging you to come and see us, just to let us know that you’re all right. Your father is asking for you, I know you and he have problems, but we are family after all. Please Anthony, come home to see us, I’m sure we have a lot to talk about. Stay safe sweetie, and I love you._

_Love,_

_Maria Stark_

 

Steve refolded the letter and inserted back into the envelope’s pocket, he was both flabbergasted and exultant of the fact he has in-laws that are still alive, since Tony never mentioned a word about his own parents. Steve ached to meet the man and woman who created his divine wife; it would be magnificent for them to let them know that he married Tony and they have made them handsome grandchildren. He saw this letter as a piece of good news, but he was a bit uneasy. Steve speculated if his wife will reciprocate the same emotion of exhilaration, or will Tony see it as a bad omen. _I would love to meet my in-laws, to meet the ones responsible for my beautiful wife. They must be good people, but why has Tony never told me about them? They can’t be terrible…can they?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 16, Steve desires to meet Tony's parents.


	16. The Prodigal Stark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family meets Tony's parents, but not everything turns out according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 16! I love writing this story!

            Approximately twenty-minutes have tumbled by, and Steve Rogers still held the wrinkled letter in his grip. He has been pacing around restlessly, stealing a few glances at Jared and Alex who were attempting to mount the vermillion ball. Steve peered up from the cursive font on the small bland packet, to see Tony and Peter enter the premises with weighty breaths. Peter rubbed the side of his shoulder from the inoculation he received; the pricked skin was shielded with a tan bandage. He immediately stalked off to his private quarters, paying no regard to his father since he still has not fully forgiven him for his past sins. It still hurt Steve, but he was aware that he must give his son some space to continue reflecting on such heavy matters. Tony was joyful to see his husband as usual; he made a swift peck on Steve’s full lips, and trotted over to the twins who squawked happily when they saw their mother.

                “Did you have a good time with the boys?” Tony inquired as his pleasing mouth outlined into a warm smile, he made kissing noises at Jared and Alex.

                “Yes, how was the appointment?”

                “Good, Peter won’t be getting Hepatitis A.”

                “That is good news; I have something for you.” Steve answered with as much enthusiasm he can muster. Tony made a light giggle at him as he gave Tony the old mail.

                “What’s this, another of your little love poems?”

                “Not quite.”

                “So it’s not a ballad or a sonnet—“Tony began with jest, but he paused since he recognized the handwriting when he took the crisp letter out.

                “Jen wanted you to have this. It’s from your parents, you should read it.” Steve replied gently as he was dumbfounded when his wife wordlessly shoved the message back into the crinkled envelope, and tossed it away to land on the coffee table.

Tony’s merriment evaporated and he quietly gathered the infants in his arms, and crossed the hallway to go inside the nursery. Steve was perplexed of Tony’s silent refusal to read a letter that expresses the apprehension of his mother and father. He traveled to the bright chambers of the newborn babies, seeing Tony in front of a tall periwinkle table. Jared and Alex were on the countertop, they were almost finished getting their diapers changed. Steve scampered over to stand next to his wife who had a tight line between his lips.

                “Why are you doing this?” Steve said sternly as he was baffled by Tony’s emotionless reaction to the vital correspondence.

                “Our babies need to get cleaned up.” Tony responded as a smart-aleck, he strapped the sticky bands of the diapers.

                “You know full well that is not what I’m referring to.”

                “Well, I don’t want to read that letter or talk about it.”

                “I certainly do. I didn’t even know your parents were still alive.”

                “Is that supposed to mean something?”

                “Yes, they can know about us and our children. We can go see them—“Steve acknowledged with an optimistic smile; however, it vanished instantly when he saw Tony’s fawn brown eyes hardened and narrowed.

                “Leave me alone, right now.” Tony answered stringently as he turned his back on Steve, transferring the twins into the comfort of their large crib.

                “But I—very well…”

Steve surrendered to his wife’s wishes, despite having the urge to argue and pester Tony for a valid explanation. It was unnecessary for them to start a fight, especially in front of their babies. He soundlessly exited the area, not able to see Tony hunched over the ebony rail of the cradle with his shaky left hand over his trembling eyes. Jared and Alex did not comprehend the muteness of their mother; they babbled and smacked the skinny columns of the bassinet trying to get his attention. Tony made a gusty sigh, uncovering his crestfallen face, and ruffled through the strands of Alex’s butter yellow hair and the coco brown tresses on Jared’s head. He was trying to reassure his little boys since they seemed a bit perturbed by his grim mood. _Why did they write to me, and why now? I’m surprised that I still exist to them, especially when I haven’t been the son they wanted me to be…_

 

               It was three in the morning, and Steve Rogers tossed over to the right of the plush bed, he stretched out his arm to drape it over Tony’s body. However, his sapphire blue eyes sprang open out of alarm when he did not feel his wife’s curvy waist. Steve saw that Tony is missing; he swallowed thickly, and felt his panic increase by tenfold. He flicked the sheets away from him and rose out of the mattress; he journeyed through the shadowy corridor with his bare feet treading the boarded floor. Steve stepped into the living room, bathed by the artificial light from the lanky metallic lamp. He was astounded when he saw Tony sitting on the dark red couch with the letter from his parents in his hand, Steve’s mind was at ease, but he was bewildered of the sight. Tony noticed his husband’s presence, he watched Steve sit next to him.

                “You shouldn’t be awake.” Tony whispered softly as he settled the cursive note on his lap, he rubbed the flank of his cold neck. A bit of violet lace could be seen under the fold of the loose satin robe he was wearing.

                “Same for you.” Steve countered simply as he observed how Tony’s long jet black lashes fluttered tiredly.

                “I just couldn’t sleep.”

                “You needed to read the letter, didn’t you?”

                “I couldn’t stop thinking about it, ever since you gave it to me.”

                “How do you feel now, since you read it?”

                “A little convicted, especially when you told me that my parents should know about us…I felt bad for you, Steve.”

                “Why me in particular?”

                “I know you…if your parents were still alive, you would have them meet me.” Tony confessed with a shivering breath as his body quaked when he felt Steve’s warm fingertips touch his white knuckles.

                “You’re right. I just didn’t want for us to miss this kind of opportunity, to finally have in-laws and have them part of our lives.”

                “It’s just not easy; I haven’t seen my mom and dad since I was eighteen. I’m afraid they won’t accept us.”

                “How do you know they won’t?” Steve inquired as he wrapped his arm around Tony and pulled him close.

                “Let’s just say they never pictured their only son marrying an older man, and birthing his children.”

                “So, they won’t be happy that you married someone older than you?” Steve was a bit confused, but he figured that Tony’s parents would only object to their matrimony because of the huge age gap between them, not because they are the same sex.

                “Sort of…it’s complicated. They’re conventional.” Tony perched his head on Steve’s brawny upper torso. He would assume that his mom and dad would be disgusted of him for having a male partner, especially when they yearned for him to wed a pretty girl.

                “But you can’t deny how worried they are for you.”

                “I can believe it from my mom, but my dad—I doubt it. He and I never got along.”

                “Your mother did say that your father was asking about you—“

                “That’s her being nice, he doesn’t care about me.”

                “Maybe we should visit them and found out.” Steve recommended as he saw how Tony withdrew to stare at him with a bemused expression.

                “Are you saying we should go all the way to Long Island, New York just so my parents can have the chance to reject us in person?” Tony questioned warily as the notion inserted a sliver of fear into his brain.

                “You don’t know that, that’s why we should go. Also, it would be good for our kids to meet their grandparents.”

                “That is really asking a lot from me. I’ve told myself before that I would never go back.”

                “You need to face this, Tony. Your parents are not going to be alive forever; the decent thing to do is see them. Even if it means it is the last time.” Steve reasoned as he rumpled through the rich ebony colored tresses of his wife’s hair with a tender stroke from his hand.

                “If I say yes, promise me that you’ll have my back.” Tony made a hard swallow as he stared intently into Steve’s shimmering cobalt blue eyes. He felt Steve cradle his chin with the fold of his fist, and he drew him near in order for them to have their fair foreheads press against one another’s.

                “You always did, Tony, and you always will.”

 

              It was nine in the early morning, the weak rays of candy yellow sunlight seeped through the dark folds of the hunter green curtains in Peter’s bedroom. The fourteen year old was sleeping soundly on his belly, wearing a pair of blue plaid pajama bottoms and a simple clean white T-shirt. He felt a soft hand comb through his messy locks; soon it skimmed downward to cosset his cheek. Peter cracked open his almond brown eyes to see his beloved mother sitting on the rim of the mattress, dressed in his sateen nightgown. He slowly pushed himself up to lie on his left thigh in order to view Tony appropriately; he automatically grasped Tony’s smooth fingers in a caring grip.

                “Mom, is there something wrong? What are you doing here?” Peter questioned with his voice blended with concern and drowsiness.

                “There is something I need to ask you.”

                “What is it?”

                “Would you like to meet your grandparents?” Tony inquired with a bit of reluctance; he gently thumbed Peter’s warm hand.

                “I actually have them?” Peter asked with incredulity as Tony nodded his head, he felt his own rosy red lips quirk into a velvet smile when he noted his son’s optimistic expression.

                “Yes, I got a letter from them.”

                “What did it say?”

                “They want me to visit them. They don’t know that your father, you, and your brothers exist.”

                “Do you think they’ll be happy to see us?”

                “Honestly, I don’t know, but the four of you are my family…it’s only right to introduce all of you to them.”

                “I do want to see them. I think they’ll be okay with us.”

                “I can only hope sweetie.”

 

              It was twelve twenty-two in the fresh afternoon, the whole family decided to pack a few bags and leave for New York. They were outside of their locked cabin, loading their luggage into the back of the red Jeep Wrangler. It would seem reasonable to take a plane instead, but Tony wanted to remain cautious. He did not want Von Doom to locate them and separate them for good, so they must drive from Colorado to Long Island. Tony placed the twin babies into the booster seats. They were ready to take their leave, until they heard the thudding of footsteps crushing the spring grass. The family turned around to see it was Wade Wilson, he seemed out of breath, and stunned of seeing the display.

                “What the hell?! I just got here and you’re leaving me?” Wade remarked with offense as he was confused of why the Rogers-Stark family was going away.

                “We’re just going to New York to visit my grandparents, we’ll be back.” Peter reassured as he stiffened when Wade immediately embraced him.

                “Then can I come—“

                “No.” Steve injected plainly as he was not willing for the seventeen year old to join them.

                “What he means is that this trip is kind of personal, it’s family business.” Tony explained as he restrained his laughter when Wade would not release Peter from his hold.

                “I can be part of the family, just let me marry Peter and we’re all good.” Wade resolved as he could feel Peter squirm and try to detach from him.

                “I’m not consenting.” Peter piped up with embarrassment as he shrugged out of Wade’s possessive cuddle.

                “And he’s too young.” Steve added in as he tugged Peter away, and coaxed his youthful son to get inside the car with his brothers.

                “This is beyond cruel, we shouldn’t be separated.”

                “Oh calm down, we’ll be back in a week or two.” Tony informed as he waved a flimsy hand at Wade, he was a little thunderstruck when Wade lowered himself and coiled his arms around the flanks of his stomach.

                “I’ll miss you! I’ll be counting every second!” Wade announced with a bitter cry as he rested his head against Tony’s chest. Tony was speechless; nevertheless he patted the teen boy’s head, he stiffened when Wade happily smothered against his warm upper torso.

                “Okay, that’s enough. We must leave now.” Steve concluded with an annoyed pitch as he effortlessly pried his wife away from Wade’s firm snuggle. It bothered Steve that Wade has the ridiculous habit of pursuing Peter and flirting with Tony.

                “Yeah, you’re right. Well, bye Wade.” Tony finalized as made a small friendly wave at the seventeen year old. He took his place in the driver’s seat, with Steve settling on the passenger side. Wade formed a wistful expression, he yearned to join them since he is fond of the Stark-Rogers family. He quietly watched the cherry red car roll away, down the dirt pathway that would eventually lead them to the city streets of Colorado. Wade was a bit glum of the circumstance, but he was cheered of the thought that he’ll see them again, and resume wooing the eldest son Peter.

 

                It took about two days for the Stark-Rogers family to reach the state of New York. At this moment, it was five thirty-nine in the late afternoon. Tony continued to silently drive through the peaceful neighborhood where he was raised; his hands squeezed the steering wheel tensely. After a few minutes, he parked the Jeep Wrangler near the curb in front of a pale white two story house. It looked rather pleasant with its verdant lawn, the window shutters are light blue, they matched the tiled roof and bricked chimney. Tony turned off the ignition of the vehicle and removed the key from the slot.

                “Are we here?” Peter inquired innocently as he pressed his slim fingers against the glass frames, peering at the cozy residence.

                “We are. This is where I grew up.” Tony answered with a shaky sigh as they proceeded to climb out of the car.

                “It certainly is a nice home.” Steve commented generously as he scooped up the twins Jared and Alex from their booster chairs. They followed Tony down the concrete footpath and ascended the whitewashed steps with diverse moods. Tony knocked on the front door as Peter fixed the collar of his black dress shirt; he gulped nervously since he prayed that his grandparents would like him. Soon enough, the wooden door swung open to reveal an older woman. She seemed so elegant and benevolent. The female has her soft hair tied into a lengthy ponytail; it was streaked with lines of gray and dark brown. She wore an airy canary yellow cardigan, a pink blouse with ruffles, and a pair of navy blue polyester pants.

                “Anthony, welcome home.” Maria Stark spoke with a happy tone in her sweet vocals, her lips arched to a wide smile, and she immediately pulled Tony into an affectionate embrace. Tony wrapped his arms around her tightly, he felt like a little child again.

                “It’s been a while.” Tony replied simply and almost bashfully, as he withdrew to gaze into Maria’s exquisite russet brown irises. He kissed the crest of her forehead. Maria restrained her blissful tears from flowing; she could not describe the immense relief to have her son return.

                “It has—well, come in everyone.” Maria coaxed kindly. She figured that it’s safe enough to invite everyone in the house since they accompanied her son. They strolled inside the dwelling, seeing they were in front of a flight of oak stairs that led to the second floor. The Stark-Rogers family scampered after Maria to go to the living room. It was a comfortable design with a charcoal black rug underneath the round table made out of fine straw; the couches were a beige color with tan cushions. There was a limestone hearth that had no single trace of ash in its yawning mouth. Everyone noticed a handsome mature man sitting on a recliner chair, he was scribbling on a notebook. He wore a casual dark cyan sweater shirt with the lapel folded precisely, and a pair of unwrinkled matching khakis. His short chocolate brown hair was tinged with silver, and the neat mustache above his upper lip was close to a steel gray dye.

                “Howard, come say hello to Tony.” Maria said as she trotted over to her husband who closed his book and rose up slowly.

                “Are you sure it’s him? I don’t remember my son dressing up like a girl.” Howard mentioned coldly as he was disgusted at the sight. Tony donned on a shadowy leather jacket, he was wearing a cut raven black halter dress beneath it, and a pair of stylish pumps with thin heels.

                “Does it really matter what I wear?” Tony questioned vociferously as he felt his hands curl into furious fists.

                “Well, I happen to think that Tony looks very beautiful.” Steve complimented with a low pleasing tenor as the newborn babies in his sturdy arms were beginning to babble incoherently. Peter drew closer to Tony out of sympathy; he was a bit startled by his grandfather’s trenchant tongue.

                “Who are you supposed to be?” Howard probed harshly as he glared at the tall blond male.

                “Meet my husband, Steve. And these are our kids: Peter, Jared, and Alex.” Tony introduced as calmly as possible. Maria and Howard were thunderstruck by the strangers’ identities; they were not able to fathom the notion that their only son has wedded a man.

                “Damn it, Tony! I thought you were better than this.” Howard was fuming as he could not tolerate being in the same room as all of them, he stalked off to lock himself in his private study.

                “Don’t mind him; he just needs some time to adjust. Why don’t we refresh ourselves in the kitchen?” Maria swiftly explained as she was still recovering from Tony’s unbelievable declaration.

                “You guys go ahead; I’m going to take out our bags. Peter, would you help me?” Steve handed the twins to Tony; Peter nodded grimly since he did not expect Howard to be repulsed by their presence. They left the domain to retrieve the luggage as Maria and Tony ventured into the clean kitchen.

                “I didn’t know you got married.” Maria mentioned as she went over to the pallid cabinets and pulled out a violet kettle. Tony settled onto a stool with Jared and Alex safe in his arms, sitting in front of a slick granite counter.

                “Not exactly what you expected, huh…” Tony answered with a dismal tenor as he watched Maria finish filling the dark pot with tap water.

                “No, but he seems nice.”

                “Admit it; you hate this just as much as dad.”

                “I wouldn’t say that, I can learn to accept this.” Maria sighed heavily as she placed the teapot on the stove to heat it up.

                “I have a hard time believing that.”

                “I mean how did you meet this guy? Are those his kids, or did you two adopt—“

                “It’s a very long story, but we didn’t adopt. I gave birth to all three of them.” Tony responded with a little hesitance as he saw how Maria almost dropped the porcelain mugs she was taking out.

                “Excuse me? Anthony, you don’t have the right parts to get pregnant and birth children—“

                “Well, remember when I was eighteen and I started working in Mount Massive Asylum?”

                “Yes, you said something about conducting an experiment.”

                “Right, and I was the test subject. I blatantly volunteered myself to have my reproductive system rearranged, to function just like a woman’s.”

                “Your older son does look like you…” Maria replied with sudden incredulity, she noted how Peter does look similar to Tony. She was trying to process the inconceivable information as she set down the fragile cups onto the countertop.

                “They are your real grandsons.” Tony commented with a gentle cord strumming in his soften voice when he saw Maria walk up to him, studying the infants with her mouth automatically stretching into a bright smile.

                “They are adorable babies.” Maria complimented sincerely as she pressed a heartfelt kiss on the tiny foreheads of Jared and Alex, they instantly crowed out of zeal. Tony felt eased and delighted of the wonderful sight of seeing Maria laugh so cheerfully with her hands touching the twins’ petite fingers. He saw Peter trot inside the kitchen, making a trembling breath since he was done assisting Steve with the baggage.

                “I didn’t know we took so much stuff with us.” Peter mentioned with a tired huff as he slumped against the sink. However, he was staggered of how Maria immediately approached him and gave him a big embrace.

                “I’m glad you’re here.” Maria felt apologetic for making Peter feel like an outcast, especially since he is her first grandson.

                “Me too, grandma.” Peter was overjoyed to acknowledge Maria with such a fond title, his cheeks blushed to a light pink when she rustled through his fleecy hair with her fingers, and he understood where Tony got this habit from. Tony was astounded, but he was immensely content that Maria was willing to adapt to this new lifestyle, and openly accept them as they are.

                After a few minutes, Steve Rogers clambered down the staircase; he finished putting their bags in the guest bedrooms. He heard the jovial vocals of his wife, sons, and mother-in-law. A small smile was outlined on his pleasant lips, but it soon faded away when his stormy sea blue eyes caught the closed door to Howard’s personal office. Steve felt peeved and perturbed by Howard’s aggressive attitude, he hated the mistreatment that his father-in-law exhibited to Tony. Without much consideration, he turned to the left in order to twist the golden knob, and thrusted open the door to Howard’s study. Steve entered with a confidant gait; he paused in front of a massive mahogany desk, seeing Howard rise slowly from his rawhide chair with a hostile countenance.

                “You certainly know how to make a rude entrance.” Howard remarked with annoyance as he dropped his charcoal black fountain pen to let it clatter against the wooden surface.

                “Compared to the behavior you recently displayed, I hardly believe so, sir.” Steve rebuked with a no-nonsense voice, his flaming eyes began to narrow.

                “Out of my house, and take my worthless son with you.”

                “How dare you speak about Tony like that! You shouldn’t be a father in the first place!”

                “Who would want to be the father of a gay son? He ruined his life by marrying you.” Howard retorted with an unquenchable rage.

                “That is not true! We love one another and have wonderful kids! How is that a bad life?!” Steve shouted out in a livid pitch as he slammed the palms of his hands against the countertop of the table. He was offended by Howard’s insults, and was trying hard to exercise patience, this is his father-in-law after all—he can’t exactly murder the man.

The disconcerting bellows from the room attracted the attention of the rest of the family; it forced everyone to swarm into the chambers. Tony quickly piled the twin babies into Maria’s arms; he instantly clasped his hands over Steve’s curled fist that tightened near his side.

                “What did you say to him?!” Tony inquired intensely towards Howard; he will protect his husband from his own father if he must.

                “Only the truth—I didn’t want you to come back. You were better off missing.”

                “Howard! How can you say that—“

                “Maria, you’re happy that he’s home, but it doesn’t mean I feel the same way.” Howard responded with austerity as his spouse shook her head in a gloomy fashion.

                “You never changed.” Tony simply replied with a blend of disappointment and resentment, he bit his slick bottom lip.

                “No, but I wished you did.”

The cruel statement made a deep wound onto Tony; he swallowed back a cry, and wordlessly exited the office. He yearned to run away that he unlocked the front door to escape, however; a large hand pushed the entry closed. Tony turned around and saw it was Steve, towering over him with a poignant glimmer in his peaceful sky blue eyes. Steve cupped Tony’s heated cheeks, pulling him close and hushing his partner’s sniveling.

                “Don’t let him get to you. Nothing is wrong with you.” Steve made a gentle whisper as Tony slumped onto his husband’s burly body, clinging onto his shirt to create a few creases.

                “You see why I didn’t want to come back—it’s because of him!” Tony buried his grief-stricken visage against the warm bulk of Steve’s chest, soaking the fabric with his fat hot tears. Soon enough, they were accompanied with Maria and Peter, pained with an obvious apprehension.

                “Please Anthony, don’t leave. I have no idea where that came from—“Maria began with dread, she was afraid of her son departing in such a wretched state. Jared and Alex saw Tony in a vulnerable condition, they immediately formed a few wailings, and they squirmed within Maria’s arms, flailing their tiny hands towards their biological mother.

                “He has always been like that. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you!”

                “Mom, do you want to go? If that’s what you want, it’s okay with me.” Peter acknowledged in a gloomy tone, he took a few steps forward to place his hand on Tony’s trembling shoulder.

                “I want to, but I can’t. I told myself that I would give you and your brothers the chance to know your grandparents.”

                “I’m inclined to agree.” Steve plainly added as he wiped a few salty droplets with his thumb from Tony’s despondent face.

                “So, you don’t care about mom’s feelings.” Peter countered with aggravation; he’s been gradually separating himself from his father since the truth came out of his murderous past.

                “I’m not saying that—“

                “Peter, it’s my decision. Not your dad’s.” Tony corrected with a broken breath as he slowly withdrew from Steve’s grapple. Peter tightened his lips and nodded his head.

                “So, you’ll stay?” Maria asked with caution, as she was hoping that Tony will remain with her.

                “Yes, if it’s okay with you.”

                “Of course it is. We should all get some rest; it’s been a long day.”

 

           It was eight twenty-one and it was a breezy morning; Maria Stark was looking through the contents of her tidy kitchen. She was debating on making a quick trip to the supermarket to purchase a few products, considering her son’s entire family will be her guests for a week or two. Maria closed one of the solid cabinets when she saw Tony enter the area, she was still trying to adapt to his new sense of fashion. Tony wore a pretty sateen dress of an egg shell white color, the thick straps were tied up into a knot on the back of his neck, seeing the tails dangle and lightly tap his spine. His shoulder blades were exposed exquisitely, while the three buttons on his lower back were pinned up. However, she was curious and concerned when she noted how Tony’s upper torso appeared swollen.

                “Did something hit your chest?” Maria questioned, she was a bit confused since it wasn’t bruised or red.

                “No, I’m still breastfeeding the twins. It’ll go down eventually.” Tony answered nonchalantly as he snorted of the thought that lately he has to fend Steve off of him, it’s an overwhelming temptation for his husband. At this point, Maria believed in anything Tony told her, the newborns have to be fed in some way.

                “If that’s the case, I hope you’re wearing a bra.”

                “I hate leaking so much. Post-pregnancy is one of the worst.”

While Maria and Tony were discussing lactation, Steve walked into the premises with only a pair of black jogging pants. He ran his big hand through his messy golden tresses, his glorious body showing off his rugged features and sturdy muscles. Steve approached them with his arm automatically coiling around Tony’s slender waist, and reeling him into a romantic grasp. Maria felt her face become beet red, she could not deny that Steve is a good-looking person.

                “There you are, my darling.” Steve said with his voice dropping a few notches, he began printing kisses all over Tony’s collar bone and throat.

                “Where are the kids?”

                “They’re still sleeping. How about we go back to bed?”

                “Have you no shame? My mom is right here!”

                “Oh, good morning Mrs. Stark.”

                “It’s nice to see you too, Steve. I should probably leave.”

                “Going somewhere?” Tony inquired as he managed to push Steve off of him.

                “I just need a few things from the store.”

                “We can do that for you.” Steve volunteered with a smile outlined on his lips.

                “That’s okay, I’m perfectly capable—“

                “We’ll do it, just keep an eye on our kids for us. Steve and I can handle it.” Tony nodded as he thought it was a good idea to spend a little alone time with his husband, and to avoid Howard’s judgmental glares and speeches.

 

             Steve and Tony drove over to the local supermarket which was quite massive, almost like a manufacturing warehouse near the docks. They ignored the typical stares of either awe or disgust from the public, there were a few parents who would scoop up their children and run the other direction, treating them like a viral disease. Tony had the list of groceries that Maria gave him before they left the house; Steve was pushing the metallic cart. They journeyed together, engaged in an amiable conversation and exchanging a few jokes. Steve could not stop complimenting Tony of how beautiful he looks in the creamy white gown; he would make countless beguiling whispers of amore. Tony was used to the flirtation, but it never stopped him from flushing into a scorching pink hue, he loved when Steve spoiled him with his intoxicating words. Soon enough, they only had two items left to obtain from the paper. To save a bit of time, Tony directed Steve to head over to the seafood region to get three packages of sliced fish. While Tony ventured off to collect a few heads of cabbage and a couple of stalks of fresh carrots. Steve strolled by himself to let his shoes clomp against the slippery tile; he paused in front of a wide container filled with different crustaceans. An attractive female customer joined the scene, she saw Steve studying wrapped salmon and trout. She was immediately allured by his handsome physical appearance. He seemed like a living Adonis or an irresistible Greek god, his robust physique was shaped appealingly under the thin plaid shirt that had diverse shades of blue. The promiscuous woman quirked a poisonous smirk on her lips that are painted with a glossy pink, she swished her amber colored locks, and went over to the distracted married man.

                “It looks like you need some help.” She commented with her hoop earrings rattling, Steve turned around with an innocent expression.

                “No thank you ma’am.” Steve responded with disinterest as he focused his attention to the cut pearly flesh of tilapia and placed it in his cart.

                “I’ve never seen you before, are you new in town?”

                “Not really, I was born here in New York.”

                “Same here, New Yorkers should stick together.” The tawny headed female replied with a purr as she placed her small hand on Steve’s forearm. Before Steve could gently remove himself from the uncomfortable contact, someone slapped her fingers so hard that she made a high squeal.

                “Who gave you permission to feel up my husband?!” It was Tony, he was fuming and he drew close to wrap his arms around Steve’s appendage like a stubborn teenage girl, after he dumped the acquired vegetables into their cart.

                “I was wondering where you disappeared to, baby.” Steve mentioned with a giddy grin as he found it entertaining to see Tony burn with jealousy.

                “You got to be kidding me, you’re gay?!”

                “I’m married actually; this is my wife, Tony.”

                “If you want your teeth still intact, then you better get a move on, you hussy!” Tony spat out as he felt Steve clamp his hand on his hip.

                “You’re not even a real woman, I feel sorry for your husband!”

                “If you have any amount of decency left, leave us right now.” Steve spoke up as he was quite angry at her for making horrible insults at Tony. She made a frustrated huff and stomped off, she was greatly disappointed of the established relationship, and especially how she lost to a man pretending to be a female. Tony had a crestfallen countenance, with his smooth naked shoulders drooping a bit. _She’s right; I’m not a woman…_

                “Were you flirting with her behind my back?” Tony demanded suddenly, he felt a little insecure since it was obvious that she was trying to get a date with Steve.

                “Why would I do such a thing? You know full well that I only have eyes for you.”

                “She is a real woman, unlike me—“

                “I don’t believe that. She wishes that she has an incredible body like yours. Every part of you is lovely.” Steve encouraged, speaking from his own genuineness. He skate his knuckles down to cosset Tony’s cheek with fondness.

                “To you, but—“

                “Then that is only what matters, remember, I fell in love with you at first sight. No other woman has been able to do that, except you.”

                “You’ve always been a strange man. And yet, that’s one of the things I like about you…I like different—that’s why I love you.” Tony declared softly as he hugged Steve, letting the older male fiddle with the rich strands of his dark hair.

                “My precious bride, my darling…” Steve whispered genially as he drew back a little to plant a tender kiss on Tony’s fair forehead.

 

             After the shopping incident, the couple returned back to the Stark residence, going into the kitchen to drop the provisions on the countertops. Maria thanked them for completing the errand; she reported that Peter was reading a story to the babies upstairs. Steve serviced his mother-in-law by helping her put away the victuals, she was grateful for the action, and she came to the conclusion that Steve is such a benign gentleman. Tony went upstairs to the guest bedroom that he and Steve were sharing. He recalled that he needed to unpack the last suitcase he brought with him. Tony swiped the luggage that was leaning against the corner and tossed it on the bouncy mattress. He unzipped it to take out Steve’s hard-covered notebooks and the azure blue _Confidential_ folder. Tony stored the objects away into the top drawer of the cedar dresser, including a few articles of spare clothing. The final item from the sack that he pulled out was his camcorder, the same appliance he used to film his experience from Mount Massive Asylum. The reason why he brought it with him was because he did not want to risk leaving vital evidence in their cabin, he could not afford for it to end up with their enemies. Tony held the cold video recorder and glanced towards the hallway, seeing the open room across from his own. He observed the enchanting sight of Peter sitting on a striped blanket with Jared and Alex seated on his lap, patting the colorful children’s book that is in their older brother’s hands. _Peter’s relationship with me and his brothers has been growing stronger, but with his father…it has regressed. No matter how much I say that Steve has protected us all, Peter won’t believe it. I can’t let my family die…maybe I should show him…show Peter how Steve defended me from every possible danger…to see that Steve has saved me time and time again…perhaps the right thing is to let him see what I’ve been through…then just maybe, he’ll forgive Steve, and finally understand our war against Von Doom…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 17, at least Maria likes Steve.


	17. Triumphs and Tragedies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony tries to convince Peter to forgive Steve, as he tries to forgive his own father Howard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate school, it takes time away from me writing this story!

             Jared and Alex Stark-Rogers were wiggling around and clapping their petite hands when the short fairy-tale concluded. Peter closed the vibrant text and set it aside, he still had on his sleep wear which was a black T-shirt and royal blue gym shorts. The twins were energized and ready for any type of adventure, they would try to reach for their eldest brother’s coco brown tresses since it forces them to connect to the image of their tender mother. Peter chuckled lightly as they attempted to climb upward with their weak legs, but they tumble backwards to land on his lap. They certainly weren’t his age, but he learned to take pride and happiness in taking care of his younger siblings. The two already have distinct personalities; Jared is easily excited and seems to take a liking in babbling in a loud volume. Alex is the one who is always dozing off, he was much quieter than his twin. However, they do share the common bond of creating a huge fuss if they are separated from Tony for too long. Peter bundled them carefully in the crooks of his arms and slowly rose from the frieze carpet. He headed downstairs, not aware that Tony was currently in the opposite chambers. Tony was about to exit out to catch Peter in the hallway and unveil the terrors of Mount Massive Asylum, however; his dire mission was interrupted when he heard the gleeful call from his husband. He can trace the pleasant low voice of Steve, summoning him with his name. Tony had to postpone his plan that he placed the camcorder in the dresser’s cubby on top of Steve’s profile from the madhouse and closed it. He left the spacious bedroom to return to the first floor to see Maria and all his boys gathered together near the kitchen sink, Jared and Alex seemed upset.

                “Mom, I think they’re hungry.” Peter announced with a little worriment as he transferred the scrambling twins into Tony’s warm embrace.

                “You’re right, I better get started.” Tony nodded in agreement as he could feel the famished babies tug on the front of his snowy frock, impatient to receive their meal.

                “Would you like me to accompany you?” Steve questioned slyly as his left light eyebrow quirked upward in a cunning manner.

                “I know your game, you’re not fooling me one bit!”

                “I’m just trying to be helpful, my darling.”

                “How is you staring and drooling at me any help? Besides, I do all the work.”

                “Maybe you should stay with me for a while, at least until Tony is done.” Maria suggested with an awkward smile and a nervous laugh, she was able to perceive Steve’s real intentions—after all, he is a man with extreme sexual cravings.

                “I’ll go with you instead.” Peter offered with an obvious look of revulsion, his father was not exactly subtle in his perverse feelings towards Tony.

                “Yeah, just stay with my mom, Steve.” Tony concluded with his cheeks flaming out of embarrassment as he ascended the staircase with his eldest son trailing closely behind him.

                “I was looking forward to it.”

                “Says every husband when his spouse tells him no. Perhaps you can take your mind off it by helping me dry the dishes.”

                “I’ll be happy to help you, Mrs. Stark.” Steve answered politely, he was eager of the epiphany that popped in his cranium. Maria has all of the personal information and childhood memories of Tony, this could be his chance to know what his wife was like when he was a kid. It was a nice way to pass the time, since it will take a long period of hours for Jared and Alex to finish their breakfast and lunch.

 

         While Steve attended Maria in a few domestic chores, Tony was sitting on an oak chair with smooth steads and a couple of vermillion orange cushions to support his back in the shared chamber of Peter and the feisty newborns. The older brother was slouching against the fat pillows of the bed, reading an early science-fiction book titled _The New Atlantis_ by Francis Bacon, the same prominent figure who invented the Scientific Method. It was a gift from Tony, describing an unknown island that functioned as a utopia, the natives were intellectually advanced with their discoveries of being able to prolong life and create artificial organisms. Peter was quite intrigued by the details of the tale, after he read a paragraph of how they experiment on different poisons for medical purposes; he made a glimpse towards Tony. It has been over two hours and the twins have not ceased to feed, Tony had to peel off the entire top of his spotless dress, with his bra unclipped and the infants suckling from his rosy nipples, guzzling the rich milk with their cobalt blue eyes glittering and peering up.

                 “Are you still mad at him?” Tony inquired with a lowered voice, he was referring to Steve.

                 “Yeah, I mean I can’t go back to knowing nothing and thinking that everything is fine—he’s done so much wrong to other people, and to you.” Peter confessed with a shaky sigh as he shut his paperback book and laid it aside.

                 “I suppose you’re still not going to believe me when I keep telling you that it’s not his fault.”

                 “I wish you would stop defending him, it’s not right that he struck you.”

                 “I know, and so does he. Your father, from that point, never hurt me again—he learned his mistake.”

                 “Why did he do it in the first place?”

                 “I mentioned a journalist named Miles Upshur, of how I was supposed to meet him to show Mount Massive Asylum’s true colors. Steve thought I was going to run off with Miles.”

                 “So, it was out of petty and insecure jealousy? That’s still not a good reason.”

                 “Your father’s mind—it’s so different from everyone else’s. He is a man of brilliance, but—“Tony started, but he was interrupted when he noticed how Jared made his last gulp. He was finally full while Alex was still latched on to Tony’s left teat to continue consuming the pale nutritious liquid.

                 “No matter what you say, mom—it still doesn’t justify dad.” Peter finalized with a windy huff as he could no longer endure the excuses that Tony fabricates to make Steve appear less evil. He swiped up his book and left to go down to the living room to be alone. Tony was tempted to order Peter to come back and listen to him, but his words died behind the tight line of his soft lips. He peeked downward to see that Jared was fidgeting with the bushy tail of Alex’s red panda onesie. Alex made a few more swallows and was done; he made an inarticulate screech towards Jared, and would repeatedly tug at the sunny mane of his twin’s lion pajama. Tony could not resist uttering a couple of chuckles as he was cautious enough to hook the clasp of his bra without the babies slipping from his grapple. However, he was still bothered by the short chat between him and Peter, aware that he cannot reach Peter verbally. There is no other way around it; he has to get Peter to see the appalling footage of the place of nightmares, the residence they once called home.

 

         Tony remained upstairs with the babies, while Steve was still in the kitchen with Maria. He was currently washing some silver butter knives and ceramic bowls with a simple pattern of lavender flowers. Steve turned on the faucet by flipping the steel lever, letting the clear water spill unto the lines of his coarse hands and the thick soap suds on the dishes, proceeding to give them to his mother-in-law to dry them with an old checkered rag. Maria studied the young man with curiosity, her son has definitely married a tall man with radiant golden hair and perfect physical features. She doesn’t know much about her son-in-law, but he seems to honestly care to be part of the Stark family. Most importantly, he has this unfathomable devotion to Tony, and that his only priorities are to his wife and children—which is a rarity to find in an era where the majority of couples divorce. Maria thanked Steve for lending his aid to her; he shrugged his broad shoulders and outlined an adorable smile. He doesn’t seem like the dangerous type, especially by his civil mannerisms. She placed the gray forks in a cubby, letting them clatter beside the spoons.

                “If you don’t mind me asking, what was Tony like, as a kid?” Steve dared to fulfill his inner yearnings to hear accounts of his spouse. Maria formed a small smile of the innocent request, if Tony was here with them, he would do anything to avoid topics revolving around him.

                “He was the sweetest and smartest boy—he still is. He loved fixing anything that was broken, whether it was an object or a person.” Maria’s russet brown eyes glistened prettily, Steve seemed to relish on the piece of information.

                “That sounds like Tony.”

                “I’m very proud of him; he grew up to be a good person. I just wished he came back home to us sooner.”

                “Is it because of Howard?”

                “He and Tony were always at odds with each other, they’ve always fought. Howard had always had high expectations of him, to have a respectable job with a well-paid salary and to have—well, a heterosexual marriage.”

                “It doesn’t seem fair, he shouldn’t be controlling Tony’s life. We all can’t be what our parents want.”

                “It took me a while to realize that, Tony was pushed too far, making him run away from us.”

                “Mrs. Stark, what is the cause of their fighting?”

                “Howard did not want to believe it, that our son is a homosexual. In his adolescent and teenage years, there would be boys piling outside our house, wanting to date him—he didn’t go out with any of them.”

                 “I still don’t really understand why it’s strange for Tony to like men, its normal.” Steve commented with a bit of confusion since he believes Tony is a woman.

                 “Not to Howard or even me at that time. When Tony told us that he is gay, his father basically disowned him.”

                 “Did you do the same?”

                 “I thought Tony was going through a phase, but he insisted that he has been gay his whole life.”

                 “There was nothing wrong with Tony in the first place.”

                 “I’ve should have known better. He couldn’t wait to break away from us after he graduated from MIT. He made money by fixing engines or appliances, then secured an apartment in California, and soon accepted the job in Colorado—“

                 “Tony became a software engineer for Von Doom in Mount Massive Asylum.”

                 “That’s right. Is that how you met Tony? Were you two co-workers?” Maria questioned as she had the idea that Steve and Tony were employees in the institution, having the typical office romance. She never would have guessed that he was one of the mentally unstable inmates, with a scary reputation, and with the odious title “The Groom”.

                 “You can say that.” Steve replied with a crafty smirk as he wiped his wet hands with a paper towel, and tossed the crumbled ball into the wastebasket.

                 “Well, once he started working in Colorado, he no longer contacted us.”

                 “I cannot imagine how you must have felt.”

                 “It was nothing but years of anxiety and sadness. However, the good news is that Tony is here now, with all of you.” Maria made a sigh of relief as she placed the dishrag near the sink.

                  “I must say, it does give me great joy to be here. Thank you for your hospitality.”

                  “No, thank you for taking care of Tony this whole time.”

                  “I will continue to do so.”

 

          As Steve and Maria were comforted by each other’s words and presence, Tony quietly descended the staircase. He put the twins in their bassinet for a nap. Instead of going to the kitchen to join his mother and husband, he slowly walked to Howard’s study room. Tony impulsively pushed the door that was opened ajar, hearing the tiny creaking of the old wood. He saw Howard standing near the crystal window, stroking the hefty bland pleats of the vanilla curtains, and he was bathed by the warm glow of the morning light. The older gentleman took a few more seconds to observe the tranquil scenery outside, and he shifted his focus on the arrival of his nervous son inching closer. Howard clenched his jaw of seeing Tony still donning on female outfits, it was outlandish and derisive. Tony approached his father with his hands folded in front of him like a shy farm girl, clearly intimidated by his parent.

                “Why can’t you accept who I am? This is me.” Tony spoke up with his vocals shaken and frightened.

                “You threw away a bright future, you had so much potential, but you squandered it.” Howard answered with a stern tenor as Tony rubbed the side of his cold shoulder out of uneasiness.

                “All I did was take a different path, I love being a stay-at-home mom. It’s so much more rewarding—“

                “No, it just leaves you jobless and useless.”

                “Would you stop saying these things?! So what that I picked love over a career, it’s my life, not yours!"

                “So out of spite, you went ahead and married a man. Are purposely doing this to annoy me?”

                “Not everything is about you, dad. I did it for myself. At least my husband doesn’t base his love on finances, work, or anything materialistic like you. You can learn a few things from him.” Tony responded with a mix between grief and ire.

                “I don’t even know why you came in here in the first place.”

                “I want to be heard, I’m the only son you have. Isn’t it about time you listen to me and be more supportive?"

                “This conversation is getting ridiculous. Just go.”

                “You always do this; you’re shutting me out again. We really need to work this out, for the sake of your grandsons.”

                “They’re not my grandchildren—“

                “Yes they are! I gave birth to all three of them—“

                “Do you even hear yourself?! You’ve gone crazy; there is no way in hell that’s possible!”

                “I can explain it! It’s all because of my last job in Mount Massive Asylum—“

                “The one legit job you had for a while and failed. No thanks, I’m not into disappointment.” Howard countered sharply as he strode forward, making Tony pace backwards out of fear.

                “This is important, this place is what changed everything—“Tony started as he was contemplating if he should reveal the company’s bloodcurdling secrets. He felt his back press on the boring wall near the door frame, he stood with his courage shrinking when Howard perched his palms against the façade to trap his son.

                “Your mother and I heard from the news already, that place is gone—burned up in a fire. It’s no longer relevant.”

                “But you have no idea what happened in there—“

                “I don’t want to hear anything about that damn place—especially your old boss, Von Doom. I had enough!” Howard barked with indignation as he was trying to restrain the severity of his tone. Tony reflexively shut his watery hazel brown eyes when he saw Howard’s hand move, he was expecting his father to slap him. However, he heard a loud clamor erupt near his ear, realizing that Howard struck the smooth partition instead.

                “It’s hopeless to talk to you…” Tony concluded with a jagged breath and with a hard swallow, relieved that Howard did not hit him. He was a bit perturbed of Howard acting extremely antagonistic by the mention of Von Doom.

                “Don’t make this worse, Tony. You have no clue.”

                “Where are you going with this?”

                “I need to be alone…” Howard resolved with a strange glow in his irises, he seemed troubled and his voice dropped a few notches to sound grim.

                “Are you okay? You don’t look so good, do you need something—”

                “No, I just need silence…”

                “All right…” Tony responded with hesitance as he watched Howard slowly sink into his dark rawhide chair, he was a bit disturbed of the sudden feebleness from his father, perhaps he worn himself out by their vehement discussion. He scampered out of the private study, shutting the door behind him. Tony walked over to the kitchen with a pensive mind, still distracted by Howard’s eccentric conduct, his strength seemed to decline. Maria and Steve spun around when they detected the click from Tony’s high heels, they were content to see his arrival, but they became a little alarmed when they noted the bleakness in Tony’s coco brown eyes.

                “What’s wrong, my darling? Are you tired?” Steve asked gently as he approached Tony and rubbed the frigid flanks of his wife’s shoulders.

                “He must be, especially since he’s been with the twins this whole time.” Maria added in as she glanced at the clock hanging above the refrigerator, a little surprise that the hours have expired so quickly. She understood if Tony was exhausted from the session, she has been through the experience—except Tony has two babies, which meant double the feeding.

                “Yeah, I just need a little rest.” Tony finally answered with a frail smile; he was not willing to share what happened when he confronted Howard, he was not in the mood to dive into drastic matters.

                “I think we could all use a little something to eat.” Maria suggested as she went ahead to take out veggies and ground meat from the freezer to cook.

                “That’s a good idea, Mrs. Stark.”

 

       It was ten forty-one in the late evening, it was a chilly nightfall with the whistling of the wind and the dense gray clouds began to form into threatening clusters. Steve Rogers was sitting on the big mattress in the guest bedroom, donning on a simple verdant colored shirt and a pair of navy blue plaid pajama bottoms. He slouched against the plush of the stitched pillows, waiting for his wife to get out of the bathroom so they can go to sleep. The only light that shone was the lamp on the drawer, it made the surroundings dimmer and have a mysterious vibe. Steve was not certain why Tony was taking a long time in the lavatory, with Tony calling out once in a while that he’s almost done. The handsome blond made a huge yawn; he was getting close to succumbing into slumber as the seconds ticked by. However, he instantly rid his drowsiness when he saw Tony slowly slide out of the restroom. Steve noted how Tony was wearing sultry magenta lingerie with thin straps; it has a short hemline with a ruffled trim, showing a snippet of his thong underneath. The lacy cups cuddled his bosom erotically. Steve was dazzled and attracted by the sensual image; his nostrils began flaring like a horny bull.

                “I hope you don’t mind me wearing this.” Tony said with a mesmerizing tenor in his melodious voice, he began teasing his husband by leaning against the oak frame of the door and rocking his curvy waist in a sexual rhythm.

                “I don’t, my little pussycat. Come here, your master wants to play with you.” Steve’s gullet was rumbling into an eager growl, he gestured his wife to approach him. Tony’s violet ankle strapped high heels thumped softly against the fuzzy carpet; he lowered himself to crawl across the puffy quilted blankets. He straddled on Steve’s lap and coiled his slim arms around his husband’s heated neck, gazing into the lust sloshing in those shrewd cerulean blue eyes.

                “Pussycat? Was that said in the 1920’s? Geez, you’re so old, Steve.”

                “Not really, I’m a little over a hundred.”

                “Never mind, how about a little fun with me? I’ll let you do whatever you want.” Tony formed a beguiling smile as he took a hold of Steve’s large calloused hands and guided them to settle on his buxom hips. He wanted his husband to indulge since he has been distancing himself from Steve due to the nine months of pregnancy, constantly feeding the twins, and any other chore that would sap away his energy. However, he was also a little insecure of the shopping incident that happened this morning, he really desired for Steve to think he is beautiful and that he is better than the wanton female from the store.

                “Such a difficult choice, my darling. There is so much I can do with a pretty little thing like you.” Steve raced his long fingers against the semi-transparent lace to feel the tender crevices of Tony’s fit abdomen; he leaned a bit forward to bury his attractive face in between Tony’s warm breasts to press a few moist kisses and make a couple of naughty bites. Tony slunk his right arm downward to instantly grab his husband’s big cock, he began massaging it through the cotton material of the trousers, pleased that the member was already hard.

                “How about letting me ride you? I know you’re dying to get inside of me.” Tony’s vocals were rising to a coy note as he took a hold of the elastic bands of Steve’s pants and boxers and pulled them down far enough to free his husband’s erection.

                “You know me a little too well. Damn, I’m such a lucky man.” Steve made a satisfied huff as he snaked his arms to Tony’s backside. He hooked the thin strap of his wife’s licentious panties with his thumbs, and tugged them to skid down to tangle around Tony’s ample buttermilk thighs. Steve squeezed Tony’s naked voluptuous butt cheeks while he slanted a bit, yearning to push his solid penis in between the jiggling buttocks. The stimulated blond was impatient and he was deciding to go in raw, with no lotion or substance to prep the small hole. However, he realized that he does not want to inflict any lacerations within his wife’s body. So Steve spat a few glops of saliva on his hands, he smothered the spit on his solid crotch. Tony tilted forward with a hot moan; he bit his bottom slick lip when he eased into Steve’s stiff groin slowly. The red-pink tip wiggled into the dry passage, Tony felt a few pangs of pain erupt in his backside as he dug his fingernails into the etched lines of Steve’s robust belly. Tony sank further to feel the thick shaft probe and stretch his inner walls, he felt damp by the combination of his own lubrication that was secreting and Steve’s opaque white semen splurging out of the slit. It felt so rough and deadly without the necessary fingering and the cream to lessen the rugged scraping, but the amylase was moderating the narrow channel somewhat.

                “Ooo—mmm—yes!” Tony made a lubricious wail, blissful to submit under Steve’s dominance. He began bouncing on his husband’s dick to feel the pleasurable friction, making multiple raunchy sighs, and spreading electrifying thrills throughout Steve’s insatiable body.

                “My woman is so sexy! I can tear you apart!” Steve lunged fiercely in an upward motion to shove his large cock deeper in Tony’s wet anus, distending the cherry red pucker.

 

                Unfortunately, they did not hear the sound of their door opening, not when their groaning and cursing have drowned it out.

                “Anthony—oh my god! I must have come at a bad time—a really bad time!” It was Maria Stark who immediately flung her hands in front of her trembling eyes, even though she did see her son in a skimpy outfit being penetrated by the muscular blond. Steve was not ashamed and remained latched to Tony’s soaked rear, his glistening blue eyes merely glimpsed at Maria with inquisitiveness. Tony was beyond humiliated and perturbed of being in a compromising position in front of his dear mother. He could not wretch out Steve’s penis from his butthole, because he did not want to damage his anal region by making a swift movement. Even though it was a little late, Tony reached to the side to fling the filthy bed sheets around his lower body to conceal the graphic view.

                “Do us all a favor, mom…get out!” Tony ordered with his lovely visage deeply dyed with a tomato red color. Steve rubbed his worn-out hands all over his wife’s supple salacious legs under the blanket.

                “Gladly, but please dress yourself! There is something I need to talk to you about.” Maria finalized as she rapidly spun around and stalked out of the room, with her cheeks still blazing. Tony uttered an aggravated wince; he thought he was going to get reprimanded for having sex under her household in the middle of the dead of night.

                “Must you go?” Steve did not want to liberate his spouse, he has not fully ejaculated yet.

                “I have to, hon. Now, let go of my ass.” Tony felt a little apologetic for cutting their session short, but he was peeved of how Steve can act so calm, especially when they got busted for their crude crime.

                “You have a huge debt to pay me, my darling.”

                “I know, just put it on my bill.”

                “I’ll hold you to your word.” Steve commented with his lecherous sneer broadening on his good-looking mien. He was unwilling to free his wife, but he proceeded to draw backwards so his wet dick can slither out. Tony lifted a little to make the shaft and tip exit, he yanked his tight thong upwards, back in its appropriate location. He rose from the bed and snatched his cotton candy pink satin robe that was limping on a cushioned chair in the far corner. Tony put it on quickly feeling the fleecy feathers around the cuffs and the lapel tickling his skin, while Steve dragged his trousers up trying to let his passion cool off.

                “You should get some sleep; I have a feeling this is gonna take a while.” Tony crossed over to stand close to the side of the mattress.

                “Well, there is nothing else to do. I guess I should. Good night, my darling.” Steve felt his wife give him a peck on the lips and brush away the yellow loose strands from his forehead in an affectionate manner. Tony gave him a small but sweet smile, and he turned off the lamp to let the shadows converge and swallow the chamber whole. He stepped out and closed the door for his hard-working husband to rest, silently descending the stairs to avoid waking Peter and the twins. The cautious brunette treaded to the living room, he sat next to Maria on the beige couch. It was noticed that the tan curtains were parted to provide the faint light of the moon, allowing the silver-steel rays to streak the furniture of the household.

                “I really did not wanted you to see that—“Tony began, breaking the muteness, bracing himself for a severe rebuke from Maria, and possibly banished from the house.

                “You two couldn’t just hang something on the knob to warn everybody what you were doing? I could have saved myself from that.” Maria responded with distaste, she massaged her aching temples with her fingers.

                “Really, that’s it? You’re only mad because we didn’t give out a warning?”

                “What you do with Steve is your business. Sex is normal in a marriage, but you two need to be a little considerate. Everyone is asleep, they will hear you.”

                “So, it’s not because it’s gay sex?”

                “Not at all, the timing is the problem.”

                “Oh, if that’s it then we won’t do it again. Okay, night!”

                “That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

                “Then what is it?” Tony became anxious when he noted his mother’s crestfallen expression; she let out a wispy sigh.

                “It’s about your father.”

                “What is it this time? He can’t stand me being so gay?”

                “No, well, something has happened after we heard the news of Mount Massive Asylum burning down. I noticed how Howard seemed to be growing weaker; I took him to the new hospital nearby, and the doctors found a brain tumor.” Maria confessed with a heavy heart as Tony was flabbergasted of the secret.

                “Dad had cancer…? Why didn’t he tell me?”

                “Luckily the tumor was spotted and removed before it inflicted any serious damage on him. Howard didn’t want to worry you or for you to see him so feeble. Mostly it was the reason why he didn’t want you to come back home. ”

                “He’s so stubborn—why didn’t he say anything?! I could have somehow helped! Damn him and his pride!” Tony was both livid and distraught, his hands formed into violent fists as he felt a frightening hurricane swish in his interior.

                “Calm down, Tony. I know this is hard to hear—“

                “I hate how he pushed me away, especially in his time of need. He can’t even share his pain with me.”

                “He didn’t want you to suffer too. Howard felt it was his own burden to bear.”

                “It’s unfair, he confided in you—“

                “Only because I’m his wife, and I must give him support. He felt as if you were still a little boy and that this problem should only be solved by the parents.”

                “I’m not a little kid anymore; he doesn’t have to hide things from me.”

                “He can’t help it. It’s his way of protecting you. I mean, I bet if Steve had the same situation, he would only tell you—he wouldn’t want his children to worry about him.” Maria explained as she placed her hand on top of Tony’s and squeezed it.

                “Is that why he’s so aggressive, because of the surgery and therapy?”

                “It could be, it has been a dramatic change for him.”

                “I know me and dad don’t have the best relationship, but he could have said something—especially when he was sick.” Tony mentioned with heartache, he could have attempted to put a few feelings of disdain away to assist Howard in healing, Howard is the only father he has.

                “When he was in the hospital, I would always hear him say your name when he was asleep. I really believe it showed how much he missed you.”

                “You’re not lying to me, right? It seems a little too good to be true.”

                “He did, Tony. Maybe you and he can somehow make amends. It’s not right for him to expect so much from you or insult you, but neither is you running away and ignoring him.”

                “I don’t know if he can—“

                “That’s only because you haven’t tried. I would feel better if you take a little time to try to speak to Howard.”

                “It’s too hard to talk to him; he refuses to listen to me. He looks at me with contempt…”

                “Then you’re willing for Peter to have the same relationship with his own father, Steve? I can see how my grandson gives Steve the cold shoulder.”

                “My problem with Howard has nothing to do with that—“

                “Perhaps, but you are letting him think it’s okay to hate his own father because you hate yours. Steve and Howard may have made mistakes, but they are still fathers, with love, comes forgiveness.” Maria enlightened further, she does not know what errors Steve had committed, but it was enough to sense the animosity that Peter publically harbors.

                “I never thought of it that way…I’m just making it worse. I can’t hurt my family this way anymore.” Tony made a tired wail and buried his grief-stricken face in his frigid palms.    

                “It’s about time that Peter forgives his own father, just how you need to forgive yours.”

 

            After an hour passed from Maria’s insightful conversation, Tony did not return to submit under the beckoning call to slumber and lay next to his husband in bed to feel the warmth and security of the blond’s bulky arms. He did manage to take down a few devices that he packed from the log cabin: it was his laptop, camcorder from the journey through Mount Massive Asylum, and a red-orange firewire cable. Tony settled his possessions onto the dining room table, immediately hooking the necessary connections, and opened his portable computer to editing software. He transferred all the data from the video recorder to a file, letting the minutes tick by, and seeing the percentage bar increase. Tony remained in the spooky darkness, with the monitor’s bright light flashing and emitting to highlight the autumn brown color in Tony’s roving eyes. When all of the information successful transmitted into the storage, Tony gulped down a tangle knot of saliva, holding onto a speck of hope that this gory footage will erase Peter’s doubt and odium towards Steve.

 

                It was a lazy late morning, with everyone in the Stark domain awake with the exception of Jared and Alex. Steve went ahead to take a relaxing shower, whistling cheerfully of the promising day, and feeling the beads of water dribble down the clefts of his sturdy body. Tony was wearing an airy summer casual dress that flowed down to his thighs, it was a floral design with skinny straps, and off the shoulder sleeves that reached to his wrists. He carried his laptop in his hand, finding Peter browsing through the bookshelves in the living room. Peter took out one from the cubby and began leafing the seasoned pages with small printed words. The young lad saw how Tony approached him, and he returned the text back to its original spot on the case.

                “Come here, I wanna show you something.” Tony said mysteriously as he led Peter to sit next to him on the couch, setting the computer on his lap.

                “What are we watching?” Peter instantly inquired as he saw how Tony clicked on a video saved in one of his folders.

                “I just want you to see what I went through, in the place that messed up Wade’s arm.”

Tony started the substantial clip after he was freed from the torture of the Morphogenic Engine, and exploring the chaotic ruins of Mount Massive Asylum. It made him feel strange and it was still excruciating to relive it, clearly remembering those dank creaking hallways and tormenting shadows. Peter was terrified and alarmed when seeing Tony’s encounter with Frank Manera the Cannibal, it scared him half to death when the scraggy bearded patient chased his mother with a rotating power-saw, and throwing him in a cremation furnace to roast him alive. The dreadful footage continued to roll with appalling images of the deformed Variants, the hideous scarred face and bulging body of Chris Walker. Tony stopped the recording precisely when he went downstairs to the Vocation Block where he met “The Groom”.

                “That’s the asylum?! It’s a nightmare—I can’t believe it.” Peter tried to steady his irregular breathing and his frantic heart, affected by the petrifying images.

                “It was the worst experience of my life—sometimes I wonder how I’m still sane.”

                “Why did you show me this? It’s completely crazy!”

                “I needed you to understand that your father has saved me from all that. He has saved me so many times; I wouldn’t be here without him.” Tony shut his laptop as he gazed into Peter’s questioning eyes, making Tony feel as if he was talking with a youthful version of himself.

                “He did?”

                “Yes, he rescued me from the cannibal who tried to eat me, and from a man who tried to kill me when I was pregnant—so your father saved you and me.”

                “So those killings…he did them to protect you—to protect us.”

                “Your father’s love is fierce; there is nothing he wouldn’t do for our safety. He rather forsake the world than us, we’re all he has in this life.”

                “Mom, I have to go…there’s something I have to do right now.” Peter seemed pensive and a bit dismayed; Tony nodded and saw his eldest son jog upstairs. Tony lowered his spellbinding fawn brown eyes out of relief and contentment, praying he has convinced Peter to cast away his woe and wrath.

 

                Steve Rogers was already dry and dressed in his clean white T–shirt with a dark blue jacket and crisp jeans. He fixed the mattress by straightening the crooked sheets and tucking the ends to the corners for it to have a tidy appearance. Steve then spun around to try to locate Tony and give his wife the usual sloppy kisses and amorous compliments he does in their daily routines. However, he was a little astounded when he saw Peter walk into the bedroom; his charming coco brown eyes seem a bit wet. Silently, Peter ran up to Steve and coiled his arms around the flanks of his father’s rib cage area, hugging him tightly.

                “This is a pleasant surprise. Are you all right?” Steve commented as he automatically embraced him, the kind blond formed a compassionate smile; it has been so long that Peter has made physical contact with him.

                “I’m sorry—I didn’t know—“Peter began to stammer with his lips quivering and his eye sockets welling up with crystal tears, gripping the fabric on the back of Steve’s coat.

                “I don’t understand, what are you saying sorry for?”

                “I’ve misjudged you; I said a lot of awful things. I thought you didn’t love mom, me, and my little brothers, but that wasn’t true.”

                “Of course I love all of you, and I always will.”

                “Mom helped me to see that. I’m sorry—so sorry—“

                “No more apologies, I’m just happy that you are letting me back in your life.” Steve hushed Peter’s whimpers and ran his hand through his son’s fluffy locks, pressing a sugary kiss on top of his head. Peter closed his exhausted eyes and stretched out a merry smile, forgiving his father at last—the wound was finally cured.

 

                Meanwhile, as Steve and Peter were reconciled, Tony decided to heed Maria’s advice and try his luck again with Howard, to put aside one’s differences and restore a severe bond that has persisted for years. Tony placed his laptop on the firm straw table and strolled into the open office of Howard Stark, seeing his parent yet again stare at the outside with glassy eyes, as if the man was stuck in a daze. The wife of Steve Rogers stepped up to stand to the other side of the window panel, to look at his father face-to face. Howard shifted his concentration to observe the dejected but lovely expression on his son’s visage, oddly enough, Howard did not seem vexed or enraged like he typically behaves when Tony enters his study. Tony finally examined and indeed saw a scar on the side of Howard’s head, strands of brown and gray covered the majority of it.

                “What is it this time? Are you here to continue ranting of how horrible I am?” Howard assumed as he began to massage his sore shoulder.

                “I don’t want to fight, especially what mom told me.” Tony said with a bit of reluctance as he noted how Howard’s dark eyebrows rose upward out of confusion and concern.

                “What did she tell you?”

                “That you had cancer and had treatments. It really hurt that you didn’t tell me.”

                “No child should have to hear their own father having a brain tumor—I didn’t want to scare you.”

                “It would have brought me home. I could have helped mom to take care of you—“

                “I thought you died—everyone said you didn’t make it out the evacuation.”

                “So, you’re happy that I’m alive, but I still don’t get why you’ve been acting so hostile with me—are you still pissed that I stayed as a homosexual?”

                “It bothered me for years; I just thought it was unnatural. I thought I could accept it, but something is holding me back—something I can’t control…I’m angry all the time.” Howard cringed a bit when he slid his hand down his high collared shirt, scratching an unbearable itch.

                “Let me see your neck.” Tony pulled down the cloth, his blood froze when he saw how the base of Howard’s gullet was atrocious—it was molten skin just like the Variants.

                “After the surgery, it’s been there—a possible side-effect—“

                “Dad, tell me, where did you get your treatment?!”

                “It’s a recently new clinic; the Von Doom Corporation owns it.”

                “Oh my god—no, this can’t be happening!”

                “Tony, what’s the matter?”

                “Nothing was your fault…”

Tony could feel himself shiver as he realized that Von Doom must have established a second sanatorium, one that is disguised as a respectable institution and functioning like a normal infirmary. He was shattered of the notion that his father must have undergone the same conducts that would corrupt his mentality, giving him those dangerous drugs or vaccines that induce belligerence. No wondered Howard was displaying a nasty temper and even to the point of executing physical violence. _Von Doom was trying to create my father into a madman, not just him, but to all who are seeking for cures. I didn’t know he has made another asylum, and making people become incomplete Variants—some parts deformed but wracked with insanity. I’m so sorry, dad…I’ll make it right—I’ll have to look into this new asylum…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 18, the investigation of the second asylum!


	18. Victims of a New Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Tony go undercover in the Long Island asylum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, chapter 18! I made it a little longer for the sake of you guys, enjoy!

           Howard Stark was overwhelmed by the silence and frantic expression on his son’s pallid visage, he was bewildered of the fearful glint within Tony’s hazel brown eyes and how he would form a tight line between his cherry red lips. He did not understand Tony’s sorrowful declarations that it was not his fault for displaying hostile behavior. Tony could not fathom that one of his own blood relatives has been struck from Von Doom’s poison, and that there are many others in Long Island who are already tainted by the deceptive vaccines. The physical disease was expelled, but to be replaced with instability in the mind, and to lose a piece of humanity. There were countless thoughts that flooded into Tony’s buzzing skull, he wondered how Von Doom had the audacity to claim another plot of land and establish a replica of Mount Massive Asylum. However, he did not know if the atmosphere was just as frigid and ghastly as the madhouse in Colorado, if it was, then it would have been reported and shut down immediately by the media. It could only mean that it is concealing all its dirty secrets within its core, tricking the public with superficial decorations and with so called “friendly” doctors. Tony was diverted for a while when he inserted Steve Rogers into the equation, how was his husband going to react of the construction of a new mental institution. He and Steve tried so hard to escape their past life, shy away from the iron and plastered confines from the corrupt medical company. Steve was considered the oldest and deadliest patient to be created, trapped and experimented on since the mid-1900s. He called the hellish corporation his home for a long period of time, bore the inner and outer torment, and became spiteful towards the entire world to believe that every individual is untrustworthy. Due to his difficult experience, he refused to trust people, except his wife and children. Steve will only dedicate himself to his new family, for they have either underwent or have the knowledge of his sufferings. Tony could already picture the moment when he reveals this terrible news to his husband, undoubtedly the sentiment of revenge and disdain would resurface, a bigger incentive to bring Von Doom’s demise. The empathetic brunette budged forward to embrace Howard, which he has not done since he was six years old. Howard was quite speechless, aware that Tony has not demonstrated this act of affection since his childhood. He hesitated at first, but he slowly slunk his arms around his son, feeling his anger drain and substituted it with peace.

                “What’s going on, Tony?” Howard simply asked as he was still surprised by the shift in Tony’s mood, showing so much pity instead of blame.

                “Von Doom may have taken away your brain tumor, but he replaced it with a broken mind.” Tony explained as he glanced at the stitched up scar on the side of Howard’s head.

                “What has he done to me? I can’t even remember what happened during the operation or even after it.”

                “He must have given you something to increase your anger, Von Doom has been doing this to people for years.”

                “Why would he do this?! What does he accomplish—?”

                “I have no clue. He shouldn’t have a motivation anymore, since his original project in Mount Massive Asylum was a disaster…”

                “Tony, you must tell me and your mother what Von Doom has done.” Howard firmly squeezed the sides of his son’s vanilla shoulders; he had to find out what horrors that Tony’s formal boss unleashed and what he has been through.

                “It’s a long story, but it’s worth telling.”

It was finally noon, but the whole family within the Stark household gathered together in the living room, listening to Tony share his frightening journey through the sinister corridors and his old occupation as a software engineer. Tony purposely omitted the parts concerning Steve as the abominable Groom, only giving details of the Morphogenic Engine and how it transformed mentally ill patients into grotesque creatures called Variants. Peter was holding his brother Alex in his arms, while Steve carried the noisy Jared, both were seated on the tan couches along with Howard and Maria who were engrossed and alarmed of the account. Steve was a little perplexed of why his wife decided to tell such a personal tale now, especially when it was cast away in the murky depths of their recollections. Peter absorbed the information, at last comprehending the history and ambitions of Von Doom and his wretched research facility; he was even more sympathetic towards Steve and Tony for enduring such an inferno. It also made him think about Wade Wilson, recalling his withered arm and his own questioning if he was still human, it was enough to make his heart lurch and pump into a hasty tempo. Peter was repulsed by Von Doom, who is constantly tormenting people for his own greed; it must be an unethical method to gain profit. The cold business man dared to make Steve, Tony, and Wade suffer—there is nothing that can erase this new thirst of revenge.

                “What Von Doom has done is unforgiveable, but what can we do?” Maria spoke up with anxiety after Tony finished his story, even suing the entrepreneur would be an impossible task since he has multiple lawyers to defend him.

                “The FBI is trying to lock up Von Doom; I might have to take a look into this new hospital to see if it’s anything like the one in Colorado.” Tony explained as he continued to stand in the center of the chamber, rustling the dark thistles of his beard with his fingers.

                “Tony, it’s dangerous. You will get arrested if you’re caught.” Howard mentioned with uneasiness as he and Maria held one another’s hands for reassurance.

                “My darling, if this must be done, then you’ll need me to help.” Steve commented with a serious demeanor as his strong jaw clenched, he abhorred every type of clinic, but he was not willing to jeopardize his wife’s life.

                “Steve, it’s worse for you—if they find you out, you will die.”

                “I can’t let anything happen to you, and I have a score to settle with Von Doom.”

                “Mom, can I come with you guys? I want to help too.” Peter inquired with worriment as he felt Alex clasp his right wrist. However, he had the feeling that Tony will not grant his request.

                “No sweetheart, I can’t lose you. Please, stay here and take care of your brothers. I want my children to be safe.”

                “Does Von Doom know that you have kids?”

                “No, and he doesn’t even know I’m alive. He thinks I died during the evacuation, just like everyone else did.”

                “Von Doom believes we’re both dead, it does give us an advantage. Perhaps we could go as ourselves, but that will be too much of a risk. We may have to go in disguise.” Steve acknowledged with a shadowy glint in his piercing cobalt blue eyes as Jared slouched on the crook of his arm.

                “Then we have to be smart about it. We need to assume the identities of the new employees; their names will be in the files, but not their pictures. So, it gives us the chance to pretend to be them.” Tony reasonably stated as he crossed over to sit next to Steve.

                “Even that is going to be difficult; they’re not going to just hand over their files if you walk up to them.” Howard said as he slightly winced when he scratched the flaky epidermis on the side of his neck.

                “I suppose we have to wait, and think of another plan. Meanwhile, I’ll write down the clinic’s address and leave it in the kitchen for the two of you.” Maria rubbed the top of her husband’s shoulder out of pity.

 

                On the next day, it was seven thirty in the morning, with every person asleep, however; the directions to Von Doom’s new institution was gone from the kitchen counter. Steve Rogers stuffed the small paper into the pocket of his heavy coal black jacket with a lengthy hem that flowed down to the back of his knees. His large hood was on to cover his signature golden fleecy hair, but his cold sea blue eyes glittered underneath the shade. He was determined to settle matters in his own hands, he had a toxic idea that spread and poisoned his brain, deeply motivated by his own selfishness to try to injury his old foe Von Doom. Steve took the spare key of the Stark household from the back of the liquor cabinet in the living room, he was aware of the object when he cleaned the chamber with Maria about two days ago. He carefully moved the colorful flasks; the majority of them weren’t even opened, but a couple had a few swigs of fluid missing, Steve assumed that the alcohol has been drunk in moderation. The tall gentleman took the silver key and left the residence, walking about a block until he managed to get a cab to take him to the infirmary. It wasn’t too far, that he arrived at the site in only fifteen minutes, purposely making the driver wait for him in a nearby street out of caution. Steve crept to the special parking spots that were reserved for the elite staff, avoiding the early patients entering the double doors of the clinic. He peeked behind one of the brick walls of the building to see three nurses and two doctors that have been recently hired; they were ready to go to the entrance to get their pictures taken and their identification cards created. Steve saw his opportune moment when a male physician and a female assistant were trudging at the back of the line. He immediately ran behind them and grasped their wrists to pull them back; he tugged harshly enough to make them fall on their backsides to let out a few startled gasps. Their resumes and files were tossed from their other hands to skid across the dusty concrete; Steve instantly crouched down to slap his large palms on both of their trembling mouths.

                “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll let you live if you do what I say. I want the both you to give me your clothes and files. If you report this to anyone, I swear I’ll track the both of you down and kill you.” Steve growled in a menacing manner, baring his fangs like a primitive beast, he was pleased when they quickly agreed by nodding their heads out of fraught. The infamous Groom collected their papers and their uniforms, reminding him of his death threat if they mentioned this incident to the police. He left them shivering in the crisp chilly air with only their thin undergarments on, crossing over to go inside the taxi cab, and quirking a malevolent smirk upon his apple red lips, it remained on his handsome face throughout the whole ride.

                Steve managed to return to the Stark domicile with the stolen clothes and papers tucked under his right arm, once inside, he placed the spare key back in its original hiding cove in the cupboard filled with malted drinks. He could hear a bit of movement within the kitchen, guessing it may be his in-laws brewing piping hot coffee and cooking their daily breakfast. Steve quietly ascended the staircase and entered the bedroom he shared with Tony. He saw how his wife is already awake, still dressed in his violet nightgown that has the entire front peeled off for Jared and Alex to suckle the milk from his moist rosy nipples. Tony appeared a little alarmed when seeing Steve shrouded in an obscure colored jacket and dropping mysterious articles upon the edge of their mattress.

                “Ah, good morning, my darling. And how are my two strong boys?” Steve’s deep voice was coated with sugar as he flung back his hood and kneeled on the bed. He crawled close to snuggle Tony’s left side, kissing the smooth pearly temples of his sons and pecking his smiling lips near the corners of Tony’s mouth.

                “They’re doing fine, but I wanna know what you just brought over.” Tony did not hesitate to express his intrigue; he was still eyeing the folded outfits and bland folders. He truly believed that his husband was up to no good again—he would know, he has been married to Steve for more than fourteen years.

                “I just found our passes in Von Doom’s hospital; I took the uniforms and information from two new employees that were supposed to start their work today.”

                “For some reason, this doesn’t surprise me anymore. You’re the type to do that.”

                “So, you’re not going to reprimand me for stealing?”

                “Why bother? You don’t listen to me, you’re way too stubborn. I might as well go along whatever crazy scheme you’ve concocted.”

                “Your obedience turns me on.” Steve whispered in a deadly salacious tenor, he began pinching the flank of Tony’s velvet neck with his bleached white teeth.

                “Could you not?! Our babies are right here!” Tony scolded him viciously as he shifted away a little with his cheeks completely flushed and heated.

                “It’s not bad for children to see their daddy in love with their mommy.”

                “It’s not true when you’re trying to get inside of me.”

                “Can you blame me, my dearest? Your body is beautiful—“

                “Keep your lust in check! I mean the dirty talk and actions are fine, when we’re alone.”

                “You just admitted how much you like it.” Steve had a malicious sneer as he lowered his head to suck and form teeth marks on Tony’s round exposed shoulder.

                “Well, I’m no saint. I have my dirty side.” Tony twisted a beguiling smile and battered his long jet black eyelashes on purpose, making Steve swipe his own tongue across his upper lip hungrily. Steve made his wife squeak when he snaked his palm down to clutch a handful of the beauteous flesh of Tony’s butt.

                “I love all your sides, especially your backside. So big and bouncy.”

                “Thanks, now take your hand away from my ass, and show me the things you stole.”

                “Let’s just take the time to enjoy this moment—“

                “I’m done. Come on, tell me your plan.”

                “It’s simple really, I’ll disguise myself as a doctor and you’ll be a nurse—considering you had experience in that area.” Steve removed himself to hold up the clothing, he was referencing the time when Tony pretended to be a candy striper to get the tetanus vaccine for his infection.

                “If it’s coming to that, then we really need to completely disguise ourselves. You will probably have to dye your hair and put on a fake beard.”

                “Then you’ll need long hair.”

                “Yeah, so I’ll have to wear a wig, and hide my beard.”

                “It’s settled; we only have to get these last supplies and then go in the hospital.”

                “Do me a favor, Steve. Tell my parents what we need left for our disguises, so they can get them. I have to finish up breastfeeding the twins.” Tony concluded as he was aware that Jared and Alex are going to eat for hours. Steve nodded out of approval, extending his arm to have his rough fingers ruffle through the thick strands of hair on the back of his wife’s head, and smooched Tony with a warm gentle caress.

After Steve explained to Howard and Maria of his master plan, they went out to accomplish their errand, getting everything that Tony requested. It was becoming the late morning and the bright sunlight was growing stronger as it slowly climbed to the highest point of the immense sky. Steve was hunched over the porcelain sink of the second floor bathroom, he was using hair dye, running his large hands all over his golden tresses, making them transform into brown locks. It was temporary coloring, so the pigmentation will dissolve if he rinses thoroughly. Steve lifted his head to see his infamous yellow hue vanish, leaving a cluster of shadowy strands, he slicked it back to make himself appear older and professional. He reached into the plastic bag that was on the slippery granite counter nearby; he took out a diminutive jar filled with spirit gum. Steve popped open the indigo cap and dipped a painting brush into the glass container; he splattered the oily substance above his upper lip and his entire burly jaw. Once he applied it, he took out the facial hair and placed it on the correct parts of his face, donning on a box beard style. He went ahead to complete his transformation by wearing the physician costume, he put on an ivory dress shirt with a navy blue tie with a maroon crisscross pattern, pinstripe black khakis, polished formal shoes, and the last item was the pure white lab coat. Steve observed his bizarre reflection, seeing a different man, despite the frigid ice blue eyes remaining the same. A bit lost in his words of looking at his masquerade, but content that it indeed concealed his true persona. He made a shuddering breath and stepped out of the lavatory to see if his wife was ready with his disguise. Steve felt he was going to have a heart attack when he saw Tony appear completely different. There was Tony with a soft dark brown wig on, the fleecy bangs swept across to touch his right eyebrow, and the long dark hair reached his lower back. He wore a creamy white tight waist dress that cuddled around his thick thighs with short sleeves, and the front zipper was lowered to see a bit of his scrumptious cleavage. Tony adjusted the garters of his milky white silk stockings and the straps of his closed toe high heels.

                “My god, is that really you, Tony?” Steve was dumbstruck of the tempting view; he could feel himself shiver out of delight when his wife swished his lengthy mane with a graceful flick from his fingers. Tony realized this is the first time he has completely cross-dressed.

                “Shocking isn’t it? I can say the same thing about you though.” Tony responded coolly as his Van Dyke beard was covered with latex to make it look like it was his real skin. He was wearing slick scarlet red lipstick that he borrowed from Maria. He was used to Steve with a clean shaven face, seeing the murky bristles made his husband look wilder and much more rugged.

“Quite the pair we make. What should I be calling you, my love?” Steve had the cord in his throat strum musically with stimulation; he instantly seized Tony by the curvy slopes of his statuesque hips.

                “According to the papers, call me Natasha Merev. And you, you’re known as Michael Weiss.” Tony replied with an alluring tone as he teasingly pressed up his lovely body against his husband.

                “No one knows that we, Dr. Weiss and Nurse Merev, are lovers, we are secretly engaged.”

                “It definitely provides cover for the rings on our fingers. For once, we look like a normal couple.”

                “I still prefer our original selves, and I like our story much better.”

                “So do I, I don’t think anyone can match it.”

                “I must confess, I am a little afraid of going back to a hospital. What if they put me back for testing again—what if they separate us?”

                “Steve, I promise you, we’re going in and out together. You know I can’t do this without you.”

                “All right, I mean I can’t let that bastard get away for what he has done to us. I don’t want Von Doom to get a hold of our children, if he finds out about our existence.”

                “We have to do this for our boys; it’s our duty as parents to keep them safe.” Tony rubbed the nape of Steve’s neck; they drew closer for their attractive miens to be only inches apart.

                “We’re a team, nothing can change that.” Steve commented soothingly with his balmy breath streaking his wife’s velour skin. He tilted forward to smooch Tony’s glossy tomato red lips, Tony could feel the prickly sensation from Steve’s false beard scuff his chin. They seemed eased and joyful from the tender kiss, once they separated, Tony wiped the lipstick that smeared his husband’s lips with his thumb.

                “I guess it’s time to go.”

                “Let’s make sure to say goodbye to everyone first.”

                “Good idea—oh wait! I almost forgot something.” Tony spun around to open the middle cubby of the massive drawer; he took out a small raven black tape recorder. He lifted his skirt to strap the device around his right thigh; he wanted to at least get some information from either the patients or co-workers.

                “Ready?”

                “Yeah, I am.”

The married couple descended the staircase, carrying the tan folders and entered the light atmosphere of the bustling kitchen, it was seen that Maria was adding a pinch of sugar and milk in a mug filled with hot coffee. She carefully balanced Alex against her hip; he was cooperating by remaining tranquil and gripping the satin ruffles of his grandmother’s bright blouse. While Peter was sitting on a stool next to Howard, they seem to be invested in their chat, swiping different equations and possible inventions. Howard was holding Jared who seemed happy to be in his grandfather’s arms, constantly patting the older man’s hands, and a few times reaching for the hem of Peter’s long sweater. Once Steve and Tony stepped into the chamber, the rest of the family directed their gaze upon the disguised pair, obviously astonished or amused.

                “Well, we gotta go, before it gets too late.” Tony could feel Steve place his palm on his waist, digging his dull fingernails into the joint.

                “You look like the younger version of your mother.” Howard commented with jest, making Maria chuckle as Peter was thunderstruck of how odd his parents look. Tony appears to be a very beatific woman from a movie set or a magazine model, while Steve still retained his handsomeness by seeming like someone important such as a business official or an actor advertising branded cologne.

                “Do I? I would assume I look more like your guys’ daughter.”

                “Yes, I would have said the same thing. Howard is just making me sound old.” Maria made a light laugh, she was relieved and content that Howard seems to be better, he was cracking jokes again.

                “You guys look so different; I’m starting to wonder if my brothers and I are adopted.” Peter remarked with a wide grin as he rolled up the wooly sleeves of his indoor coat.

                “I can guarantee that all three of you are our children. Not only have I helped your mother make you, but I was there for all the births.” Steve elaborated with a proud smug as he tugged Tony by his left flank, his wife made a slight whine, sometimes wishing that Steve was a little more private.

                “Aw dad, please no. I don’t wanna hear what you did with mom!”

                “Well, you’ll learn when you’re a little bit older.”

                “I think you two should leave, before the clinic gets suspicious.” Howard coughed in a raspy voice, his gullet was parched. Peter took Jared from their grandfather so he can consume the drink that Maria made for him, bouncing the merry baby on his lap.

                “Don’t wait up for us; we’ll be home by ten.” Tony finalized as he and Steve exchanged hugs and kisses with their family members. The married couple went outside, filled with valor and encouragement, ready to storm the gates of the second hell.

 

               By the time Steve and Tony arrived at the parking lot of the local clinic, the masked blond led the anxious brunette to the back of the stoned building. They approached a lone gray door that was printed with the words: _Employees Only_. Steve knocked on the metallic surface once, the entry was instantly swung open to reveal a security guard in his late thirties, and he seemed irritated as he fixed the visor of his hat.

                “What do you want?”

                “We are here to start our first day; you must have noticed that the hospital was a little understaffed.” Steve answered with politeness, though he was tempted to grab the man’s throat, suffocate him to death, and fling his corpse into the nearby dumpster.

                “That’s true, but you two are late. You were supposed to take your ID pictures this morning.”

                “We had a family emergence at home, but it’s fixed now.” Tony responded with a feminine voice and stretched a cordial smile on his red painted lips; the officer seemed to soften his expression when noticing the pretty nurse.

                “Well, I don’t wanna get in trouble with the boss if I turn away people he hired…”

                “Then it would be wise to let us in, and let us do our work. No one gets in trouble.” Steve replied coolly as he slung his arm around Tony to squeeze his wife’s shoulder.

                “Let me see your papers first.” The male was handed over their resumes and approved applications, they were glad that there were no photographs in the folders or in the institution’s data base to betray their disguises. After scanning the printed sheets, he gave them back to their respected owners.

                “Good enough?” Tony asked as the man nodded, he stepped aside.

                “Yeah, just head over to the left to get your IDs.”

                “Thank you.” Steve concluded with a false grin as he and Tony entered to follow the male’s instructions.

The two received their photo ID cards with Steve clipping it on the lapel of his cotton lab coat as Tony hooked it on the hem of his white uniform, letting it dangle and tap on his right thigh. They were directed by the photographer to head for the first basement to obtain their assignments. Steve and Tony wandered around a bit to see how the institution seems so normal with the usual waiting rooms and chambers for the patients. There were the typical sights and sounds of the squeak of gurneys and wheelchairs passing by in the clean corridors, per scripted medicine and painkillers in their bright orange bottles being handled by the professionals. The physically ill being attended by kind receptionists and medical employees, the angry buzzing of numerous telephones going off, and the busy clicking from keys of computers. Steve and Tony walked side-by-side to approach the elevator, seeing the steel double doors slide open to welcome them in its tight space. They quietly went in; Steve took off his ID and swiped it in a gray slot, seeing small green lights. He pressed the button for the first underground, they noted how there were multiple levels below. Steve resumed his badge on its original place as the chute descended, making their stomachs churn by the sudden drop. They did not speak a word since they were aware that there is surveillance cameras drilled in the upper flanks of the area. However, they took advantage of the blind spots of the recorders by interlacing their fingers together, squeezing one another’s hands for courage and reassurance. The two glanced at each other and gave a quick smile. Steve and Tony immediately let go of one another when the metal doors swished open, they came out to enter a new realm. It was an immense region made of the palest rock with fluorescent bars of light suspended and thin wires hanging on the high ceiling and across the cold concrete. There were various cedar desks with some scientists doing paper work, while others were surrounding different mentally-ill victims. It was disturbing to hear the diverse noises, the shrills from the tormented and the whirls of different medical instruments. Steve could feel his bloodstream boil hotly; his mind was enflamed by the bitter memories, these images of the tortured patients was only increasing his hatred. Tony was the opposite, he was terrified and appalled of the view, and it functioned so much like Mount Massive Asylum, seeing the electrical engineers attentive to their jobs, and providing the programs and technology for the physicians to use. Before they could continue to dwell in feelings of sorrow and hostility, they were greeted by a nurse in her forties. She did not seem like pleasant company, her cheeks were sunken and her eyes look exhausted by the evident dark rings. The older woman has platinum short hair that made her appear as if she was a flapper from the 1920’s; she introduced herself as Harper Snyder.

                “I thought we were missing two.” Harper commented with a distasteful expression, she studied their ID cards to learn their identities.

                “We apologize Miss Snyder, we had to take care of—“Steve began, but he was rudely interrupted.

                “It doesn’t matter; there is work to be done. Dr. Weiss, you’re to stay here and help with the experimentation.”

                “Then where does that leave me? Are we assisting the doctors?” Tony inquired curiously as he could already tell that Harper loathes him, especially when she would always roll her dull blue eyes or utter an infuriated sigh at him.

                “No, you stupid girl. We have to check up on the other patients in the second basement.” Harper grouched meanly, it made Steve feel belligerent; he did not like how this woman was treating his dearest wife. Tony took offense, but he refused to show it publically.

                “We’ll get on that right away, but I would like a word with Miss Merev alone, just for a minute.”

                “All right, but hurry up.”

Steve and Tony paced back so Harper would not be able to hear their private conversation, they were nerved by the thought of how they are being separated. They planned to stay together, but their grumpy co-worker has somewhat ruined their conspiracy.

                “It looks like we have no choice. I’ll stay here and try to scoop up anything important. While you’re with that demon, make sure to do the same.” Steve explained swiftly as it deeply pained him that he will be conducting this enterprise without his partner.

                “Okay, just make sure to blend in. Don’t go berserk and start killing everyone.”

                “I’ll try. Be safe, my darling.”

                “You too, I’ll see you later.” Tony made his farewell to his husband, he would have given him a kiss, but he did not want to raise any misgivings among the staff. He left with Harper to a set of spiral stairs that led to one of the confines of the tested individuals. Steve felt broken-hearted and lonely once he lost sight of Tony; he was concerned for his little wife since he won’t be there to accompany and protect him. However, Steve walked over to a station where a couple of nurses and one senior doctor where in front of an extensive table. They each wore a pair of latex gloves, mixing a series of chemicals, and inserting the final product into empty vaccine tubes.

                “Is there something I can do here?” Steve questioned as he watched the poison violet liquid fill the transparent containers, being capped with sharp needles.

                “Oh, you’re Dr. Weiss. It’s about time you showed up. You need to take over my shift, make sure the concoctions are formed correctly.” The elder ordered as he saw how Steve seemed bewildered.

                “What do you mean, sir?”

                “Right, I forgot that you’re new here. You couldn’t possibly know the formula for the vaccines. Silly me. Pay attention son, I’m only going to say it once.”

                “All right.”

Steve listened to the aging gentleman list a series of components that make the inoculations; he recognized the majority of the enzymes and elements since they are used to intensify a person’s aggression. This type of shot was experimented on him for decades; he was not surprised that Von Doom and his research team did not modify it completely; with the exception of a patient receiving a blemish on their body. Physical impairments were usually from the effects of the Morphogenic Engine, but now it was possible by these hand-made injections. Steve kept the formula in his mind, believing that this can be used against Von Doom. He took over in supervising the row of nurses; the females seemed delighted to have Dr. Michael Weiss overseer this affair, it was obvious that the younger physician is quite handsome. Unfortunately, they do not know that they are with an infiltrator and skillful murderer.

 

                Meanwhile, as Steve directed the less experienced medical officers, Tony was trying to keep up with Harper down a dim lighted hallway; it was split into countless paths that led to specific regions such as laboratories or supply closets. Tony jogged down the narrow hall with his high heels hammering against the boarded floor, the shadowy long strands of his wig flapped gracefully like a decorated banner.

                “You’re sleeping with Dr. Weiss aren’t you?” Harper declared suddenly with a grimace, as she figured by the amorous gazes she saw from Steve’s frost blue eyes.

                “Uh, that’s a random way to start talking to someone.” Tony answered with astonishment; he could feel his cheeks blush into a modifying wine red. Clearly, Harper has failed to see the wedding band on his finger if she is making an outrageous assumption.

                “Well, are you?”

                “We’re close colleagues. We graduated from the same university.”

                “I’m sure he only likes you because you blow him.”

                “You’re getting way out of line—“

                “I know types like you. Pretty girls with no brains, climbing the top of the social ladder by letting themselves get fucked by men.” Harper remarked rather sternly, it was the reason why she instantly abhorred this Natasha Merev. She is a beautiful woman blessed with sweet youth, the object of desire for starving males, only valuable in the physical aspect. It was evident of how the opposite sex already would sneak a few naughty glimpses to view Natasha’s exquisite visage and curvy body.

                “So you’re calling me a whore.”

                “That seems to be the ideal job for you.”

                “If it comes to that, at least I can stop being a hoe, but you’ll always be a bitch.” Tony retorted with a snarl and made a sassy hair flip. Harper was peeved by the insult; she thought Natasha was supposed to be an unintelligent bimbo. The antagonistic conversation became mute, but the both of them were fuming inside. They eventually reached the end of the passage to gain access to the main sector, it was a miserable subdivision with greasy green walls and constructed as a prison ward. It was two stories high, and it consisted an abundant number of cells with either furious or depressed patients. There were already some nurses present, they were putting some of the mentally scarred in bland white strait jackets or carrying trays of unappetizing food to feed them. Tony cringed when he and Harper passed a few grimy units; the iron bars were being banged and rattled by violent hands, as deafening screams echoed. Harper approached a laundry bin clustered with washed coats for the poor lunatics; she snatched one and went up to a specific jail chamber. Tony had no choice but to follow Harper inside once she unlocked it with a heavy ring of keys. He observed at the far corner, seeing two figures huddled together against the frigid cracked partition. There was an odd fellow, who seems to be in his mid-twenties; he had snow white hair with wooly bangs tapping on his right eyebrow. He had a bit of stubble of a chestnut brown and his eyes were glaring brilliantly with an appealing shade of blue-green. The youth looked intimidating and ready to attack anyone, much different from his small companion. He fiercely embraced a lovely girl with the same eye color as him, but she has lengthy dark brown tresses that flowed down to her lower back. She seemed frightened as she clung onto the front of the male’s brawny chest. They both wore an indigo uniform designed for inmates, their short sleeved shirts and trousers were wrinkled.

                “What are their names?” Tony enquired with fascination and pity; he was annoyed when Harper made a noise of disgust.

                “Why bother knowing who they are? They’re crazy.”

                “I still want to know. Besides, we are here to help them.”

                “They’re twins, they’re known as Pietro and Wanda Maximoff.” Harper replied dryly as she unlatched the binds of the strait jacket she was holding.

Tony impulsively paced up to kneel in front of the two who became more alert and bemused of the action. Pietro made a low rumble in his gullet like a livid canine; Wanda seemed to be more afraid by seeing Harper finish unhooking the straps of the dreaded article of clothing. Tony offered his hand as a sign of peace, hoping to gain their trust and banish the fear from their cores.

                “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. I just want us to be friends.” Tony announced kindly as he was a bit dismayed of seeing Pietro’s eyebrows crossed in an irate manner. He was worried when he examined a laceration on the back of Wanda’s hand, a little trickle of blood was seen, and it made him wonder how she received the tiny cut. She had the Variant scabs on her palms; Pietro has them across the top of his bare feet. Tony leaned forward to touch her wounded limb with his fingertips; he planned to rip a bit of his tight gown to bandage the injury. Before he could tear a piece of his outfit, Wanda was overwhelmed with apprehension that she let out an agonizing shriek. It made Pietro react madly; he charged forward to slam Tony to the dusty ground. He was on top of Tony with his hefty thighs latched onto his slim waist; his rough palms grappled Tony’s shoulders with tension. Pietro tried to sink his teeth into the delicate skin of Tony’s bare neck, wanting to shatter the epidermis, and possibly strike a vital point. However, Tony pushed Pietro’s face away with his palm, trying to not let his panic conquer him. Harper finally intervened by seizing Pietro by the arm and threw him down, he grunted painfully when she started to forcefully put him in the strait jacket. When she inserted the last loop, Tony slowly rose to his feet, quaking at the sudden assault. Harper slapped Pietro across his attractive mien, leaving a red mark on his cheek, and she made a heap of terrible slurs at him. Wanda’s eyes were brimming with grim tears as she tugged her brother away, wrapping her arms around him to provide comfort and security. Tony was downcast by the wretched sight; Pietro seemed to be more inimical as Wanda’s grief grew by tenfold.

                “The boy has a case of borderline personality disorder, and the girl has schizophrenia. They’re freaks like everybody else in this damn place.” Harper clarified with a huff as Tony attempted to regulate his distempered breath.

                “You can’t blame them; they must have been through a lot.”

                “You have the nerve to defend them when you were almost mauled? You really have no brains.”

                “You just don’t have a moral compass.”

                “This isn’t about ethnics; it’s about getting our paychecks.”

                “If that’s your way of thinking, then let me do the rest of our work. I’ll take care of the patients, and you can do whatever the hell you want.” Tony responded with austerity as he motioned with his hand for Harper to give up her keys.

                “Just what are you planning, you little slut?”

                “Nothing, I know you don’t want to do this. And I won’t tell anyone about it.”

                “I don’t get it, what are you getting out of this?” Harper asked with doubt as Tony shrugged his shoulders carelessly.

                “Only work experience. Besides, I work better alone.”

                “Is that so? Fine, it gives me time away from these monsters.” Harper relented at last as she tossed the pewter keys for Tony to catch.

                “Good. Now, let’s not see each other again.” Tony mentioned as he strode out to put distance between him and Harper once they left the twins, the older nurse stalked off into another direction. At this point, Tony decided to visit various prison cells, build some forms of bonds and communication with these maltreated people. Perhaps he could get a few audio recordings of their ravings to use as evidence against Von Doom. He tried to find patients who display low levels of bellicosity and would be willing to speak with him for a couple of minutes. Tony entered the last room of the row in the first floor, he saw a man sitting on a squeaky cot; he shifted a bit to make the springs of the old bed squawk and he looked up at the unfamiliar nurse, he was expecting the ruthless Harper. The reluctant male unrolled his legs to stretch them out in front of him, puzzled of seeing this beguiling woman—it was a nice change from the ancient cranky broods he had to deal with. Tony approached the convict who has messy butterscotch short hair; a few tresses were slicked upward from the top of his head.

                “Where’s the old battle-axe?” The stranger questioned with his hazel green eyes twinkling, he swung his fit legs over the edge for his bare feet to come in contact with the stony ground.

                “Oh, you mean Harper? She’s taking a break, I’ll be taking over.”

                “Thank god. No one can stand her. So, got a name?”

                “Yeah, it’s Ton—I mean Natasha. And you?” Tony felt foolish for almost revealing his real identity, as he was astounded how normal the conversation was so far.

                “Scott Lang. You know, you look like you don’t belong here.” Scott commented as he gesticulated for Tony to take a seat, Tony accepted the offer and sat next to him.

                “None of you belong here either.”

                “You’ve got that right. I’ve been in here for three years—wait, what’s that?” Scott began but he interrupted himself when he saw how Tony hitched up his skirt to take out the coal black recorder. He licked his acrid lips a bit when seeing snippets of the silk stockings and garter belts on those juicy thick thighs.

                “You don’t mind if I record a little bit of this?”

                “What for? You like the sound of my voice?”

                “It can help you get out of this place.” Tony was stiffening his laughter as he clicked the device on.

                “There’s not much to tell, except there is nothing wrong with me.”

                “So, you don’t have a condition?”

                “I’m not sick, I’m perfectly fine.”

                “Really, do you think the doctors are wrong about you?”

                “Of course they are, they’re just a bunch of big-shots using the little people for their own amusement.” Scott replied with a gulp as he scratched the nape of his neck, Tony saw how the flesh was scalded, just like Howard.

                “Did they give you that blister? Does it hurt?” Tony was worried when he noticed how Scott started to scrap his nails all over his body; he made a sharp wince and screwed his eyes shut.

                “Do you see them?”

                “See what?”

                “They’re all over me! They’re eating me alive!” Scott bellowed out in distress as he collapsed onto the asphalt to land on his kneecaps, grating with vehemence.

                “What are you talking about—“

                “The ants! They’re back! I can’t get rid of them!”

                “Just hold on, Scott!” Tony felt his trepidation awaken as he left the recorder on the rusty bed. He realized that this man does suffer a mental illness, and it was delusional parasitosis, Scott believes that insects are assailing him—nipped by imaginary pinchers. Tony rushed out of the cell to grab a bucket that was sprawled across other cleaning supplies; it was inside of a huge container, parked near the strait jackets. He sprinted back to see the horror of Scott attempting to rub his forearms against the grainy pavement, which caused him to have several lesions, almost to the point of bleeding. However, before he could break the layer of skin, Tony filled up the pail with water from the sooty sink of Scott’s compartment. Tony dumped the chilling liquid from above to completely drench Scott from head to toe; it prevented him from damaging his body even further. Scott blinked his hybrid tinted eyes as he saw how Tony kneeled down in front of him, brushing his wet locks from his lenses.

                “Are they gone now?” Tony enquired soothingly; he was startled when Scott wordlessly hugged him, resting his head against the flank of the nurse’s neck like a vulnerable child.

                “There’s no biting—they’re dead.” Scott answered with a few shaky laughs; nobody in this facility would rescue him from the bug invasions. He would suffer for days and become covered with scabs and gory holes, constantly raving and receiving a few beatings from the physicians for creating such ruckus. However, this Natasha was the only nurse who saved him, giving him a serenity that he longed for.

                “I’m glad you’re feeling better. Do you always get attacked by these ‘bugs’?”

                “Every fucking day, I hate them.”

                “You’re going to be okay now.” Tony resolved that he should give Scott some time alone to calm down, he was about to withdraw, but he felt Scott clutch him harder, burrowing his fingertips into the thin fabric of Tony’s uniform.

                “Plea—please, don’t go! I’m scared.” Scott spluttered with a frantic tenor, but he was solaced when he felt Tony’s hand ruffle through the damp strands on the back of his skull.

                “Don’t think about their biting—if you do, then think about my hands plucking the ants out.” Tony tried to create an encouraging image, exposing his maternal side with his voice incrusted with sugar.

                “That’s nice…”

                “See, you’re gonna be fine.”

                “Are you coming back tomorrow? It would mean a lot—“

                “We’ll see, but I’m sure I can make that happen.”

                “I won’t like you anymore if you don’t.” Scott finalized as he quirked a comical grin, he drew back to allow himself and Tony to get up from the grubby ground.

                “Wouldn’t want that to happen! Well, bye, and take care of yourself.” Tony gathered both the dark recorder and shimmering keys from Scott’s cot, leaving the imprisonment and locking it behind him.

                “I’ll see you around, Nat.”

Scott clung onto the frigid iron bars and quietly watched the benevolent nurse walk away to the other side of the massive region, proceeding to go inside another cell. Scott made a small chuckle and spun around to rest on the slim cot, still sopping with droplets of water, but content that it will keep away the awful insects for a while. Tony ventured into another patient’s habitation, seeing a tall man with fluffy brown hair with a few tufts touching his forehead, and his facial hair was somewhat well-groomed. The mystifying male was leaning against the boring façade with his large hands stuffed into his pockets, however; he shifted his sea-green blue eyes to see Tony. He was perplexed of why Harper did not appear, but he was overfilled with bliss to have such a gorgeous replacement instead. Finally, a girl with youth and with a voluptuous body, it has been years since he has come in contact with a stunning individual. Tony approached the good-looking patient, noting the middle of the man’s forearm has the Variant scars.

                “Hey, what can I do for you today?” Tony questioned politely as he folded his hands in front of him.

                “Weird, nurses here don’t ask that. Hell, they don’t care about anyone.”

                “I’m a little different—I’m Natasha, by the way.”

                “That’s a cute name. I’m Peter Quill.” He introduced himself with a chirpy attitude, he observed how the young woman’s upper torso was soaked (since Tony did not dry himself after the incident with Scott Lang), and he can easily perceive the lines of her bra. It made him aroused and burn with desire. Peter also observed a pricy ring around the nurse’s index finger, extravagant with its polished rubies and sapphires. Meanwhile, Tony outlined a genial smile on his glossy red lips, too busy thinking that this gentleman has the same name of his eldest son, it made him wonder what his fourteen year old could be doing right now.

                “I like your name too. I have a fondness for Peters.”

                “Then you came to the right cell.”

                “You don’t mind telling me a little about yourself or anything about this hospital?” Tony said with courtesy as he immediately snapped the petite recorder on.

                “Are you a part-time reporter or something?”

                “You can say that.”

                “I’ve been here for almost nine months now. There hasn’t been the greatest of service here, that’s for sure.”

                “What have they done to you?”

                “Everybody here is treated the same, they take us and give us these weird shots. Then they would make us go through torture—they hurt us.” Quill lowered his charming eyes and made a grimace when he touched a purple bruise near his clavicle.

                “Why would they beat you?”

                “For a number of reasons, perhaps to build our endurance. Maybe as punishment for trying to escape or fighting back the doctors—could be they just needed to entertain themselves.”

                “Of course none of those are valid reasons for them to treat you guys like this.”

                “We’re not human to them. I don’t know if my body would be able to take the abuse anymore.” Peter made a hard swallow as he scraped the Variant mark on his appendage, the prickly sensation returned.

                “Don’t do that, it’ll make it worse.” Tony warned as he close up the gap between them to clamp his hand over Peter’s to stop the unwise action. Quill felt a bit frozen by the warm contact, he instantly focused his gaze to examine Tony’s rich sepia irises, his heart skipping a beat and his breath was weighty with want. Tony was shocked when Quill kissed his cheek mildly, it wasn’t perverse, and it seemed it was a token of gratitude. He was about to let his spirits settle down, until Quill’s smirking lips traveled downward to print moist smooches on the smooth tendons of Tony’s neck. Tony was petrified as he gasped out of terror, feeling the lofty man clutch his hand and hold onto it.

                “Silky, so silky—god, I haven’t had this for ages.”

                “I did not give you an invitation!”

                “I just want to hug and kiss you.” Quill proclaimed not so innocently, as Tony was completely distracted by the amorous gestures. He at first didn’t notice how Peter was slowly taking off his expensive ring. However, Tony eventually figured it out when the glittering wedding band was almost off his forefinger.

                “What are you doing?! Were you trying to steal from me?” Tony demanded as he shifted back and clasped his hand over the small hoop in a protective manner. He fixed it back in place so it wouldn’t fall.

                “I would call it borrowing. So, I can’t have something to remember you by?”

                “No! You have no idea how important this is to me.”

                “That makes it better; it’s like having a piece of you.”

                “Either way, you can’t have it.” Tony was able to calculate two mental illnesses that Quill suffers from. For one thing, he must have kleptomania if he has these impulses to pilfer items, and the other is erotomania, disillusioned that Tony is in love with him, which emboldens him to act lewd towards him. It was when Peter used the word “silky” to describe him; it was just like the Variants from Mount Massive Asylum.

                “Don’t be such a sourpuss, Natasha. The way you looked and touched me was meant to be.”

                “Now, you’re taking it way into the deep end. I think our little session is over.”

                “What? You’re leaving me? We’re just getting started.” Quill commented out of disappointment as Tony clicked the recorder to shut it off.

                “I might come back if you learn how to treat a woman better.” Tony concluded with an exasperated sigh as he thought how at least Scott didn’t act like this to him. He swiftly exited out and locked the cell; Peter looked like a sad puppy behind those tough slabs of steel.

                “You can’t do this to me, sweetheart. We have so much potential together.”

                “Then take it like this, absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

Tony finalized his statement and ascended the nearby metallic staircase to go to the second floor, Quill allowed for those piercing words to stab his interior. There was a wide sneer that lighted his face, feeling lucky to have met Natasha Merev. He tapped against the iron rods of the containment with his nails, impatient to flirt with her again, and possibly try to purloin her luxurious ring. Tony was hesitating at first, but he soon paid a visit to one of the biggest males he has ever encountered thus far. He went inside the dismal prison; seeing the huge figure crouched down to sit between his diminutive bed and the rickety sink. The man has long sunny blond hair that was a bit passed his broad shoulders; his box style beard was a darker tint. He was twirling a pure white daisy by its thin green stalk, watching the plain petals and the candy yellow center. His powerful cobalt blue eyes moved upward to see Natasha, his smile seem to stretch further out of happiness. He leaped up to his feet and gave Tony a strong embrace, those beefy arms seem robust enough to crack a marble sculpture into shards, and he made Tony appear so undersized.

                “What a pleasant looking lady. I welcome you!”

                “Ah, thanks. And you are?” Tony was having trouble breathing correctly since the stranger’s muscles were crushing him.

                “Thor Odinson. Oh! Am I injuring you?”

                “Just a little…”

                “I apologize, little miss. I become quite eager when I see a new face.” Thor unraveled his limbs from Tony and continued to beam elatedly. His deep voice was laced with a mesmerizing Norse accent, thick with affability.

                “It’s okay—I’m Natasha. Good to meet you too.”

                “I see that you are betrothed. You’ll make an excellent wife to your intended.”

                “Oh, thank you. Harper practically hates me for it.”

                “Then she must be controlled by the strings of envy. No man is willing to wed a disagreeable woman such as her.”

                “I think everybody is relieved that she’s not working today. No wonder people are so happy to see me instead of her.”

                “It would seem so. Not many receive kindness in this ghastly place.”

                “Have you ever met the owner, Von Doom? He is the one responsible for hiring the staff and making this hospital in the first place.” Tony asked with seriousness as he turned on his audio recorder, Thor did not seem to mind the object or the interrogation.

                “He would stroll outside our confinements, scoffing us. He was constantly accompanied with an older gentleman—I do not recall his name, my memory betrays me.”

                “Has he at all mentioned why he is mistreating patients like you?”

                “No, but I do view him as a malicious character. One who delights in the cries of the wounded, and bathes himself in our shed blood.”

                “We have all been tainted by his hands, in some way or another.”

                “I cannot comprehend why a benign individual like you is in this abyss. You are not cruel.”

                “You’re right, but that’s why I’m here…to save…”

                “Such a noble purpose. You have restored my faith, there is still good in this forsaken world.” Thor tucked the pretty daisy above Tony’s ear to function like a hair pin. Tony smiled convivially at him, a little distraught of discerning Thor’s inner sickness, it was euphoria. It was a type of mania, having feelings of intense emotions, specifically of bliss—making him childlike and have a bit of an issue in distinguishing between reality and fantasy. Tony gingerly caressed the Variant blemishes on Thor’s knuckles. _I not only have to do this for my dad, but for Pietro, Wanda, Scott, Peter Quill, and Thor. I have to help them escape somehow…but what can I possibly do?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obvious of me to make Tony's fake name Natasha. Steve's fake name "Michael Weiss" is a character Chris Evans played in the movie "Puncture". Until chapter 19!  
> *Hello readers, I'm not quitting this story, I am continuing it. Unfortunately, I have to write it in secret, so it will take quite awhile to make a new chapter. I'm writing in secret, because I live in a household in which I'm not allowed to write Stony, but I love this story too much to quit. I hope I can upload as soon as I can! I'm not giving up on it!


	19. In the Belly of the Beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Tony see the horrors of working in the new Von Doom institution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm still alive! Here is a chapter!

               Thor Odinson peered at the delightful visage of Tony Stark, noting the slight distress and apprehension clouding on the nurse’s face. He felt the gentle stroke of Tony’s fingers upon the nasty Variant scars on his knuckles. It has been quite a while for Thor to receive compassion from another human being, especially when he has been locked away within the darkness and left to be forgotten. Tony was wrought with woe; he wished he had the solution to this horrifying problem this exact second. He could not fathom of how Von Doom can continue this despicable program without any regret, and use innocent lives for the sake of wealth. Tony did not want to alarm Thor by his silence; he formed a weak smile in between his berry red lips. It seemed to have reassured the large blond male, who pushed the long dark bangs of Tony’s wig away from those big honey brown eyes. Tony slowly separated from Thor to move towards the old rickety cot where he left his recorder; he clicked off the device, and strapped it back under the white skirt of his uniform. Thor scratched the dried scabs for a little bit, seeing the damaged skin become flaky and rough. Tony was desperate to return back to Steve Rogers, to share the testimonies he has listened, and try to formulate a plan with his husband to liberate these poor slaves. He had hoped that Steve was faring better than he was; there was an inkling of worriment of the possibility of Steve going into an unquenchable rage, and attempt to murder every living being on sight.

                Meanwhile, as Tony was accompanied with Thor in a small cell, Steve remained in the same chamber where he was left. He was watching the other Von Doom employees create the dangerous serum for the empty vaccination containers; the shiny silver needles gave him a myriad of painful memories. Steve felt his stomach lurch and his luminous blue eyes narrowed of the terrible remembrances, fear and anger fused within his inmost core of the familiar images set before him. It took the majority of his strength to remain under control; he would sometimes feel his coarse hands tighten out of fury. He longed to fulfill his black desire, which was to pilfer everyone’s life in this wretched site—to destroy this corrupt hospital that reminds him too much of his old home. Steve knew it was foolish to act upon his malicious urge, especially when he and his wife agreed to execute this tactic without spilling any blood. He did not want to disappoint Tony; he could not bear to fail his exquisite spouse. If he makes even one critical error, he will be separated from his family, die a lonely death, and become restless in his grave of not being alive to protect his loved ones. Steve tried to brush aside his heavy reflections to concentrate on his current task. He felt chills crawl up his spine when he heard a loud wail, he noted a few doctors dragging an experimented patient towards him. Steve walked a couple of steps forwards to see the heartless physicians slam the panicked male on a thin gurney. They strapped the man’s wrists and ankles with leather strips, as he struggled in vain. He seems to be in his mid-thirties, with his dirty blond hair in a messy array, and his sky blue eyes were widened with fright. One of the nurses handed Steve a bland vanilla folder containing the profile of the stranger, he flipped it open to study the content.

                “What are we dealing with here?” Steve questioned as he was pretending to be indifferent, he was perturbed of the violent display.

                “Dr. Weiss, this is number 7804. His name is Clint Barton; we have been doing more scans of him.” The employee answered dryly as she took out a pair of latex gloves for herself and for Steve. The disguised blond read how Clint suffers from dyspraxia. It meant that his coordination is unbalanced, he is extremely clumsy, and he may not be able to use or move his hands in certain moments.

                “What have you found?”

                “Nothing, his condition has remained the same. We need to increase his aggression level.”

                “Why must we do such a thing? What will we gain?” Steve inquired with a tiny pitch of ire; he disliked how the nurse was astonished by his queries. He realized that he should not be showing any opposition towards this project, especially when he is supposed to be an obedient doctor.

                “Sir, this has always been our orders from Von Doom.”

                “I apologize; it is my first day of work in this kind of facility. I’m still trying to get used to it.”

                “I understand. However, we must start on the procedure.” The apathetic assistant prepared the deadly serum, while Steve placed the written record of Clint on top of a tray filled with various medical instruments.

                “Who the hell are you supposed to be?” Clint madly watched Steve snap his rubber gloves on.

                “It doesn’t matter; you’re not going to remember much.” Steve responded coldly as he had a staid expression.

He took the gleaming vaccine from the wordless nurse; Clint began making deafening screams when he saw how Steve approached his right side. Steve snatched a moist sterilization wipe to rub it on the bare flank of Clint’s shoulder. The demure blond inserted the spiny needle of the inoculation into the ashy skin and proceeded to inject the dark liquid within the patient’s body. Steve felt a bit detached; he recalled how he was in the same position as Clint years ago. However, he was not empathetic towards this man being tested. _Better him than me_ …Steve thought remotely as he could not bring himself to give sympathy to a stranger, he only cared about the welfare of his family. He removed the vaccine to set it aside on the steel platter, Clint was still squawking nonstop, and he began to squirm pugnaciously. Clint made choked muffles, as the epidermis where the shot was used became malformed. It created repulsive lined blemishes and spread to blotch the entire left shoulder, Clint’s black pupils dilated as he flicked his right leg up to break one of the nooses that were holding him down.

                “It seems to be working, the aggression multiplied his strength.” The nurse observed as she twisted a malevolent smile, she recorded the information of Clint’s ‘progression’. Clint ripped through the rawhide strip to free his arm; he immediately tried to grab Steve by his lab coat to hurt him. However, Steve was swift enough to grapple Clint by his wrist, squeezing it to induce a bit of ache. It caused Clint to roar irately and it signaled the security guards to come.

                “Take him to his cell; we had enough of him for one day.” Steve ordered in a strict fashion as he let go of Clint, to allow the officers to unstrap and tug Clint out of the gurney.

                “They’re the diseased ones! Kill the doctors!” Clint proclaimed murderously with his mind ruthlessly tampered with, there was a bit of white foam dripping from the corners of his mouth. He was led away to the prison block, ranting with a brash voice, and forcing all those around him to flinch out of fear from his cursing.

                “The procedure was successful, I’ll be sure to file this report.” The female employee nodded her head, pleased with the outrageous outcome. She took her notes from the brown clipboard that she was balancing on the crook of her arm.

                “Good, everything is going as planned.” Steve replied dispassionately as he gave her permission to leave in order to store her written papers into the building’s archives. She walked away to go to a different room within the institution, while Steve did not dedicate his time to thinking of the recent event. All he could ponder about was his past experience, of how he used to have a numbered label, the maddening interviews, and the countless moments of him fighting back the cruel physicians. It has been a long and winding day; already the dispiriting hues of nightfall were enveloping the vicinity. Steve has spent the hours forming the injections for patients to have Variant welts, conversing fellow ‘colleagues’ of the weak mentalities of their victims, and directing nurses to fill in the vaccination tubes. His work shift as Dr. Michael Weiss was over; it was time to return home and assume his real persona.

 

                The lanky gray lampposts in the hospital’s parking lot were pouring out their white fluorescent lights. Steve Rogers was standing quietly by the cherry red Jeep; he was waiting for Tony to exit out of the institution. They agreed earlier today that they would meet one another outdoors when their duties were finished. The contemplative blond was trying to block out the despicable sights and sounds he witnessed, he was drained from the haunting reminiscences that always seem to awaken feelings of odium and belligerence. Steve felt the icy air of the late evening stroke his fair skin, he made a small breezy sigh. His shimmering sapphire blue eyes looked ahead to see his beloved wife approaching him, the two immediately embraced each other with amity and love. Tony appeared exhausted and he was shivering by the frosty bite of the eventide.

                “It looks like we both had a bad day.” Tony spoke up in a frail voice as he settled his hands on Steve’s broad shoulders, feeling tension on the tough ridges.

                “Yeah, we sure did. It’s more than we bargained for.” Steve answered in his low vocals, digging his dull nails into Tony’s hip joints.

                “What did you find out?”

                “I’ll tell you on the way home, and you can tell me your side of the story.”

During the car ride, the married couple exchanged valuable evidence of Von Doom’s new clinic; it shared similarities with Mount Massive Asylum. Tony told Steve about the people he met; of how he yearns to somehow release them from their cells and get them the necessary help they need. Steve described the hazardous serums and their effects on the patients. After recounting their tales, they were silent for a few minutes, letting the growl of the engine be the only audible sound. Tony took out the snow white daisy from his hair; he twirled the thin stalk in between his chilly fingers. It forced him to be reminded of Thor and the rest of the trapped inmates. He knew that he could not rest until they were out of harm’s way.

                “How can we possibly free them?” Tony broke the muteness; he was a little frustrated that he doesn’t have a plan.

                “I don’t know, my darling.” Steve confessed gloomily, he didn’t like when his wife was miserable. In reality, he did not care about the oppressed detainees; all of his emotions are reserved for his wife and sons. He is only attentive of the subject since it is important to Tony.

                “They suffer every day; you’ve been through the same thing.”

                “Almost, their punishments are more lenient. Only parts of their bodies become deformed, they are more human than Variant. They are experimented with a single drug, not multiple.”

                “Either way, it’s still wrong. We can’t leave them like this.”

                “Then we have to work in this hospital for a little while longer, until we know what we can do.”

                “I wonder how long that would take.”

                “Hopefully not for years, we can’t do this forever—we can’t be found out.” Steve advised with a cautious tenor as he watched how Tony held the wheel of the car with one hand, and the other still gripped the unsoiled flower.

                “You’re right; I wouldn’t want Von Doom to know that we’re alive.”

                “Exactly, it’s the only advantage we have.”

                “I don’t want him to find us, especially because of our kids. If he knew about them, he would use them as part of the Variant research.” Tony made a sad gusty sigh; he quaked with a bit of fraught of the thought of his sons being taken away and being treated like animals.

                “They all have my blood in them; it might be possible that they have my strength and other immunities.” Steve tightened the line between his lips, watching Tony settle the vanilla white daisy on the dashboard of the vehicle.

                “Yeah, you might be right. They could be super-humans, and not know about it.”

                “Even we’re not certain if they have what I have.”

                “We probably have to check up on that later, to at least confirm our suspicions.” Tony answered austerely; something inside of him was convinced that their children inherited Steve’s invulnerabilities.

                “I suppose only a doctor can verify for us, but I don’t recommend it.” Steve heaved profoundly of the mere suggestion of having a physician analyze their three boys.

                “There is no other way. Besides, we can ask Dr. Banner, he’s trustworthy enough.”

                “I guess…”

                “What do you mean by that? Do you still not trust him, even though he helped us?”

                “It’s obvious, Tony. You know I don’t trust anyone, especially with that type of profession.”

                “Yeah, I remember, but you have to admit, he is different. He is a nice person—“

                “I don’t want to hear another word about him or any other damn doctor! So, just shut up!” Steve hollered in a livid pitch. The booming sound of his authoritative voice caused Tony to slightly cringe and force his poor heart to beat in a hasty tempo. Steve has been infuriated since he started working in the hospital; it was irksome to be alongside with types of people he detested for decades. His angry energy was vented out towards Tony, who did not deserve any of it.

                “I got it.” Tony responded in a wispy whisper, his visage appeared pale and stoic.

However, by the faint sheen of the street lights, it was seen that his coco brown eyes were glistening with a bit of water. Steve was able to see this dismal action, and he immediately felt guilty for yelling at his wife. He felt his cold lips part, but he quickly closed his maw—not letting any word fall. The remorseful blond rested his arm on the panel of the glass window and stared out to look at the other cars on the road. Steve was being stubborn, heavily influenced by his own idea of knowing what is right for his family. He still did not realize that the manner he expresses his statements were too harsh. The married couple had nothing else to say, making the remainder of the night restless and disappointing.

 

                It was a cloudy morning on the second day, both Steve Rogers and Tony Stark reported for duty in the Von Doom institution. They did not speak to one another when they awoke, or when they put on their disguises, neither during their drive to their workplace. Currently, Tony was occupying himself with the patients he had befriended. Meanwhile, Steve was in an empty hallway, pretending to read the files in his hand. He could not pay any attention to the written papers, not when he was both grieved and vexed of the thought of his wife refusing to converse with him. A young nurse with cropped ink black hair stepped into the corridor with a plastic bag filled with oxygen masks and transparent tubes. She was heading to one of the numerous supply closets to store away the equipment. However, her mission was diverted when she spotted the handsome gentleman. The woman placed the sack of items near the panel of a door, and approached the distracted male.

                “It’s nice to finally see you, I’ve heard a little bit about you, Dr. Weiss.” There was certain obsequiousness in her voice. She faced him directly, but he refused to even glance at her, despite the inviting tone that was crooning from her throat. Steve only had Tony in his mind; he could not align his thoughts and energy into anything else.

                “Hmm…” Steve murmured almost soundlessly, he could not register her words. She seemed slightly bothered that he was not charmed by her physical features and flirty speech. It would typically work, but Michael Weiss was proving to be a challenge.

                “I can give you a warm welcome, it’s the least I can do for you.” Without any warning, she seized Steve by the nape of his neck, pulling him down to steal a kiss. Steve was alarmed when he felt her wet lips come in contact with his. He scooted back out of repulsion and immediately shoved the female to make her collapse on the cold tile.

                “Get out of my sight, you little whore!” Steve lashed out indignantly as the frightened nurse scrambled up from the clean ground, holding on to her left arm that felt sore. She ran off with her expression twisted in an appalling manner, leaving behind the medical tools. Steve felt piqued out of the unwanted gesticulation, especially when the woman he only desires is his own spouse. _Damn that tramp to hell, as if she can take my wife’s place so easily! She’s lucky that I didn’t choke the life out of her when I had the chance! Why waste my thoughts on her? All I want now is Tony to forgive me…_

                While Steve was drowning in his own shame, Tony was within the barred cell of Scott Lang. The mental patient noted how his new nurse was standing in front of the steel slabs for almost five minutes, without any conversation. Tony felt distant as he lightly tapped the metallic poles with his nails; it was beginning to concern Scott. He got up from his rigid cot and walked over to position himself behind Tony, seeing the noiseless brunette lower his ink black long lashes. Tony stiffened when he felt a rough hand settle on his shoulder, but he relaxed when he realized it was Scott.

                “Why the long face, Nat?” Scott questioned with a bit of apprehension, he was starting to rely on Tony’s sensibility to keep him safe and calm. It scared him to think that he would be assailed by the invisible ants again.

                “It’s nothing much.”

                “For something that is ‘nothing’, it’s affecting you a lot.”

                “I guess I’m just too obvious.” Tony began to fiddle with the wedding ring on his forefinger; Scott observed the motion and formed an assumption of what could be upsetting him.

                “Having trouble with your fiancé?”

                “We just had a spat, that’s all.”

                “It must have been one hell of a fight, because you don’t look so good.”

                “I’ll be okay; it’s not uncommon for couples to argue.”

                “If that’s true, being in a relationship sounds like a pain in the ass.” Scott scoffed as he shook his head at the notion.

                “It’s a lot of work, but it’s nice to be in one.”

                “Only when it’s with the right person, I think. Then again, how should I know?”

                “You have a point. It’s just that Ste—umm, Michael has an anger problem. I wish he would control himself a little more.” Tony replied lowly as he was still hurting from yesterday’s incident. He disliked when Steve acted inimical, especially when it can lead to an intense episode like the time when his husband became destructive enough to punch Tony, etch him with a kitchen knife, and throw many offensive slurs at him.

                “Ever thought of telling him to cool it?”

                “The thing is, I don’t think he can ever control it. He can’t help it.”

                “This is confusing me, why are you defending him all of a sudden?”

                “Deep down, he’s not that kind of man. People made him like that.”

                “You two don’t sound that much different from the rest of us, we’re all screwed up inside. Maybe that’s why we get along with you so well, it’s because you’re sick too.” Scott declared his revelation with a menacing tenor as he tightened his grip on Tony’s shoulder. Tony widened his shiny hazel brown eyes, as his entire body felt numb. He has repressed the notion of being mentally ill for years, somehow it always returns to haunt him. _Maybe Scott’s right, I’m just like everyone else here—no, it can’t be. Then again, I’m crazy enough to stay with Steve, and to love him…_

 

                It was three in the afternoon; it was the hour of break time for some of the physicians and nurses. Steve entered one of the various lounges for the employees to have a bit of rest. It was an expansive chamber with smooth tables that held diverse snacks and plenty of hot coffee to drink. Some of the medical officers were sitting on the olive green couches to either talk with one another or to watch a sports game on the suspended television set. Steve was aloof and didn’t want to interact with anyone, until he spotted his wife speaking with a male co-worker. It drove the disguised blond into a dangerous fit of jealousy, he loathed the way how this stranger was leaning in too close into Tony’s space, and the mischievous smirk upon the man’s lips. Tony was obviously uncomfortable, but he was being polite by participating in the conversation. Steve immediately went forward and gripped Tony by the side of his shoulder, he yanked his spouse away. The doctor quirked an expression of disbelief and confusion, as Steve dragged Tony for them to be alone in a far-off corner.

                “What’s the big idea?! Quit making a scene!” Tony whispered fiercely as he shook off Steve’s large hand.

                “I don’t like the way he’s looking at you!” Steve hissed back in between his clenched teeth.

                “Look, I can take care of myself.”

                “There is no point in trying to speak with these idiots—“

                “We are supposed to be undercover; I don’t want the others to get suspicious of us.”

                “Is it really that or you’re just doing this on purpose because you’re still mad at me?!”

                “Damn right that I’m still pissed at you, but I’m not petty enough to do something like that to you! Do me a favor, and stop making assumptions!”

                “I’m not done with you!” Steve said with tautness in his gullet, as he watched how Tony spun around and exited through the lounge in a hurry. He was planning on asking his wife for forgiveness, but he realized that he made the situation much worse than before. Unfortunately, Steve felt like he was not wrong, that he shouldn’t be the one to beg and apologize. His pride was beginning to overshadow his previous reflections of admitting to Tony that he was at fault and acted fraudulently towards him. There was no way he was going to acknowledge his error any time soon—his mind has made its decision.

 

                As Steve denied the blunder he committed, Tony was back in one of the myriad undergrounds of the institution. He returned to the imprisoned patients, hoping to forget his nasty spat with Steve and provide a bit of comfort to these poor slaves. Tony was trying to select which of his new friends he should visit, however; his considerations were interrupted when he detected a windy howl that was coming from one of the middle cells. He followed the loud source as the other nurses ignored the awful sound; he peered in between the iron bars to see Clint Barton lying on the musty floor with his hands trembling. Tony used the ring of keys that Harper threw at him yesterday; he accessed the block and immediately kneeled down in front of the man who was bawling.

                “Tell me where it hurts, is it your hands?” Tony inquired moderately as he noted how Clint’s fingers had stopped moving. Clint nodded painfully with a couple of shameful tears crawling down the ducts of his piercing blue eyes. Tony took ahold of Clint’s stinging palms and gingerly massaged them; he was trying to deliver necessary heat and feeling back into his limbs so they would be able to have movement again. After ten minutes, Clint’s hands were no longer paralyzed and icy cold. He slowly got up to rest on his hip.

                “Thanks, I owe you one.” Clint remarked hoarsely, his throat was incredibly raspy from his constant screaming.

                “It’s unnecessary.”

                “I think you’re the only one who came to my rescue. Those ugly broods out there didn’t do squat.”

                “I doubt that they know how to take care of others.”

                “Sounds about right—crap!” Clint rose to his feet too quickly, he was about to fall forward, but Tony was able to grab his arm and help him stand upright.

                “You better take it easy.” Tony carefully guided Clint to settle on the thin covers of his cot, hearing the creaky coils of the mattress begin to compress by the weight.

                “Yeah sure. So, I never got your name.”

                “Natasha and you are?”

                “Clint Barton or it was until they gave me a number as my name instead.”

                “Don’t pay attention to that. If you say that your name is Clint, then that’s what I’ll call you.”

                “This is really weird; I never met a nice nurse before.”

                “There’s a first time for everything. I mean, I’m not like the other girls.”

                “I wouldn’t want you to be them, stay the way you are.”

                “I’ll be sure to remember that, Clint.”

                “Lucky for you that you aren’t on my list.” Clint mentioned with obscurity glittering within his irises, he wiped the grime away from his bottom lip.

                “Uh, what does that mean?” Tony asked with a bit of reluctance as he did not know if he wanted to hear the answer.

                “There are a lot of people I wanna take out, but especially the bastard who gave me this.” Clint pulled down his shirt to expose the Variant marks on his left shoulder. Tony made a small gulp, seeing how it’s still fresh, unaware that his own husband has inflicted this upon Clint.

                “Who would do that to you?”

                “Why are you so surprised? It’s no secret that doctors would do something like this.”

                “Do you remember who did this?”

                “Nope, the drugs have made me forget.”

                “Can you recall what they looked like?”

                “I just know that it was a man, scary-looking one at that, but that’s all I can say.”

                “There isn’t much I can do—“

                “I don’t expect you to; don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

                “I don’t know what else to say, except for that I’m sorry.” Tony stood near the lumpy mattress with his coco brown eyes lowered to look at the concrete. He lifted his shimmering orbs when he felt Clint’s stiff hand grip his fingers.

                “It’s not your fault, doll. So, perk up.” Clint nodded his head; it made Tony sketch a tiny smile. He realized that he is going to need more time to conduct a proper plan to rescue his companions; he cannot afford to get caught. So, this requires the uttermost care, there has to be a way.

 

                It was near midnight in the Stark household, only three weeks have expired. Everyone was sleeping, with the exception of Steve and Tony; they arrived back from their workplace a couple of minutes ago. The two entered their shared bedroom and Steve closed the door behind them, they still were ignoring each other. Tony uttered a weary sigh and took off his wig, flinging it onto the carpet. He turned on the lamp that was sitting on the carved drawer; the illumination was faint and streaked their mattress with several lines of light. Steve proceeded to strip off his lab coat and undo his tie for the articles of clothing to sail downward. The blond unhooked all of the transparent buttons of his formal shirt and he loosened his silver belt for the straps to hang limply. He couldn’t remove his gaze from Tony, who ripped away the latex skin from the lower half of his face to unveil his fine facial hair, and tossed the shreds into the wastebasket. Tony was only able to unzip his tight dress uniform below his navel, he felt his husband tug him around and corner him.

                “What the hell do you want now?” Tony masked his rising fear with a belligerent tone as he felt his own back press against the cold wall.

                “That wasn’t very smart of you to run off earlier today.” Steve growled deeply in his gullet as he was referring to their argument in the breakroom of their workplace.

                “Oh really? In reality, it was the smart thing to do.”

                “You do remember how much I hate disobedience?”

                “I can’t do everything you tell me to do, you should know that by now—“Tony began with an exasperated huff, however; Steve clamped his big hand over his maw.

                “You talk too much, always opening that mouth of yours. Then again, it’s in your nature, you are a woman after all, but is it enough of a valid excuse for you to continue denying me?” Steve whispered with his dry lips near Tony’s ear, his pearly teeth and sharp jaw clenched. Tony could feel Steve slide his warm palm to caress his left breast, the sateen fabric of the lacy bra rustled almost inaudibly, with his thumb rubbing against the concealed nipple.

                “Ah—what is the point of all of this?” Tony managed to pry three fingers away from his oral cavity to speak, his eyes seem to tremble.

                “How much more are you going to question or defy me? Clearly, you have broken one of our marriage vows, and that is obedience. You pledge yourself to me, did you not?!” Steve’s pitch escalated higher as he moved his hand to seize Tony by his hip.

                “I did—“

                “Of course, you did! You’re my wife, and I expect this from you—“

                “What about you? You didn’t follow our marriage vows either!”

                “Preposterous! That’s a lie—“

                “You are supposed to love and cherish me, which requires respect. It’s obvious you don’t, when you have me like this!” Tony retorted strictly, the insightful remark made Steve immobile, allowing Tony to shove his spouse’s strong hands away from him.

                “Did I really…not love you enough?” Steve’s stormy blue eyes were wide; he gripped the sides of Tony’s shoulders vehemently.

                “I’m not saying that, it’s just at this moment, you’re treating me as if you don’t even know who I am.”

                “But I do, you’re my Tony. My darling, my everything.”

                “If that’s true, then stop making me your enemy. I wish you weren’t so damn angry all the time.”

                “I just hate working in the hospital so much; it brings too many bad memories. It makes me mad and I lose it.” Steve clarified as he loosened his grapple onto Tony a bit; his hot breath stroked his wife’s cheeks.

                “And you directed that anger towards me…”

                “It seems I have. I wasn’t aware that I was.”

                “Please, Steve, you have to keep calm for both our sakes. The last thing I want is for you to get physically violent again.”

                “Sometimes, I am afraid of myself. I don’t want to hurt you, but my brain has been poisoned so much by those drugs from the past.”

                “The good news is that you’re getting a little better, you haven’t hit me since Peter was three.”

                “That was terrible of me—“

                “It happened, and it was done. We don’t have to think about it anymore.” Tony replied with his voice becoming smoother. He felt Steve reel him in for the two of them to be locked in an embrace, Tony leaned his tepid temples against the resilient crest of Steve’s collar bone and soothingly skate his fingers upon Steve’s fit abdomen.

                “I’m sorry, for being so childish.” Steve bent forward to snuggle his attractive mien against the top of Tony’s head, feeling the shadowy tendrils tickle his skin.

                “Sorry for yelling at you.”

                “No, it’s okay. You needed to. I pushed you away.”

                “I’m just relieved that you are your old self again. The Steve Rogers I loved for all these years.” Tony combed the few wisps of his husband’s dyed hair from the peak of his forehead; he saw Steve’s cerulean blue eyes appear translucent.

                “You bring out the best of me, my darling. Now that in itself is extraordinary.” Steve settled his long fingers on the flank of Tony’s neck, and granted a small kiss upon his wife’s lovely lips. Tony outlined a genuine smile and smooched back fondly, with their flesh tingled with moisture and warmth.

                “I—ah—hope that no one heard us. I wouldn’t want the kids to know we were fighting.”

                “Everyone is still asleep, I think everything is okay.”

                “You’re almost right, we just have one problem left.”

                “What do you mean? We forgave one another—“

                “I’m not talking about us; it’s the patients from the hospital. We have no idea how to get them out of there.”

                “The solution is not going to come to us at this second. It’s been a hectic day, we need our rest first before making a well-thought out plan.”

                “Yeah, you’re right. I can barely stay awake right now.”

                “Come on, off to bed.”

                “Before that, I want to check on our boys—just to see if they’re all right.” Tony coaxed in a placid tone which urged Steve to accompany him.

                 They held hands and went out to the still corridor; Tony quietly opened the entrance for them to go inside the chambers of their three sons. The entire area was cloaked with indigo shades. Steve and Tony walked over to the far right of the room; they paused in front of the rim of the bassinet that held their twins. The parents softened their expressions as they observed Jared and Alex were snoozing side-by-side with a sunflower yellow blanket covering their small bodies. Tony carefully brought down Jared’s leg that was on top of Alex’s back, they constricted their grinning lips to not let themselves laugh in a boisterous style. The two crept away from the cute babies and approached their first born, who was resting soundly. Peter buried half of his pleasant countenance against the plush of his pillow; Steve dotingly ruffled his large hand through Peter’s coco strands of hair, seeing the tresses curl around his fingers. Tony cupped Peter’s cool cheek and left a heartfelt kiss upon his brow. Peter stirred a bit by hauling his bedsheet higher to let it touch underneath his chin. Steve and Tony bid their silent goodnights, content to see their children safe and dreaming. They left to salvage the few hours they have remaining to relax, for they were due back to the Long Island Asylum—they were going to need every ounce of strength.

 

                The weeks have been converted to almost two months, and no epiphany popped up for Tony to use in order to save his misunderstood friends. Every day, he was becoming more dejected, even to the point of giving up, but his generous heart wouldn’t allow him to surrender. Steve was currently creating more fatal serums as Tony was trudging through a vacant hall under the blaring incandescent lights. His pure white high heels clacked against the spotless tile as he blew the bangs of his wig away from his right eye. He was about to turn, however; he stopped and hid himself behind a white-washed partition when he heard an intriguing conversation between a pair of doctors.

                “So, what did you do with those transfer papers that you were talking about the other day?” It was said by the older female, as her co-worker muttered a crackling of obnoxious laughter.

                “I trashed them, of course. It’s protocol. Von Doom told us to never approve that kind of paperwork. He doesn’t want his patients getting out of here and get a legit clinic to take care of them.”

                “It’s absurd that we get these ‘transfer patient’ requests all the time.”

                “I know, the last thing we want is to sign them, and letting our little experiments get away. These maniacs deserve to suffer.” The male physician and his colleague stopped from their journey to face one another.

                “I don’t know why we don’t just kill them off; no one is going to miss them.”

                “It’s what Von Doom wants. It would be nice to get rid of them; one fucker bit me yesterday.”

                “Hope it’s not contagious…”

They resumed their wandering and veered to the left, not noticing that they were being watched by a hidden nurse. Tony was bothered by the antagonistic words, but he continued to think about the mention of ‘transfer patient applications’. He strolled forward as he positioned his thumb and index finger to cradle his chin, trying to process the information he obtained. Tony passed by one of the abundant salons, hearing the buzz of a television set and frivolous discussions. Soon enough, Tony was struck by an idea at last; it caused his breathing to speed up out of exhilaration.

                “That’s it! That’s what we will do!” Tony mumbled jovially to himself as he could feel the pieces of a real stratagem were assembling together. _Finally, I got something that could work, but I can’t do it alone. I’m gonna need Dr. Banner for this. If this goes well, the patients will have a chance to recover. If it doesn’t, then we would be signing our death warrants…and Von Doom will win…it’s the only chance I got…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 20, Tony conducts his plan.  
> *Still going to write this story!


	20. Hidden Agendas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony attempts to complete his plan, as more problems seem to arise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a chapter, hope you like it!

                Tony Stark was eager to execute his daring task, but he was also shaken with apprehension of the thought of failing. He began to search among the countless chambers in separate hallways, trying to locate seclusion and necessary technology. After fourteen minutes, Tony managed to find an empty room filled with computers and olive green stools. The disguised nurse closed the door behind him and trotted over to a corner where a creamy colored telephone was mounted on the boring wall. When Tony took Peter to the clinic back in Colorado for check-ups and vaccinations, Bruce Banner gave him his business card. Luckily, since Tony is gifted with a fantastic memory, he was able to memorize his number. So, the bold brunette punched in the appropriate digits and held the phone near his ear, hearing a buzzing sound. Tony was relieved when he detected Bruce’s placid voice asking whom he was speaking to.

                “Hey, Dr. Banner. It’s me, Tony.”

                “Hello, Wade Wilson told me that you and the family are in New York. How’s everything going?” Bruce barely seated himself on a rawhide chair in his office and made a small yawn since he was working overtime again.

                “Not so good, Steve and I discovered that Von Doom has built another asylum.”

                “You’re kidding me, that can’t be true.”

                “I wish, but it’s real. I’m inside of it right now.” Tony kept his voice low to avoid being detected by anyone, he would find himself glance a few times at the door to be safe.

                “What are you doing there?! Get out of that place—“   

                “There are people here that need my help, but I need yours to make it happen.”

                “What do you have in mind?”

                “I need you to get a collective ‘patient transfer’ application, sign it, and email it to me.”

                “Wait, you want me to have Long Island Asylum patients under my care?” Bruce felt consternation by the bold plan; he slowly rose out of his seat.

                “Yes, I can’t think of a better person to send them to.”

                “Tony, there are a lot of risks involved. I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

                “I know it’s dangerous, but something has to be done. These people need a second chance.” Tony bit his slick bottom lip out of anxiety, wondering if Bruce will refuse his desperate plea.

                “I really don’t know…”

                “Please, Bruce! There isn’t another way to go about this. They are my responsibility, and I can’t let them down.”

                “If I do this, you do know that you will need a valid signature from a certified physician in the hospital you’re at.”

                “Don’t worry about that, I’ll get that second signature.”

                “I can’t believe I’m doing this, but fine.”

                “Thanks so much, I knew I can count on you.”

                “Just don’t count on me too much. There is only so much I can do. Okay, tell me what email address I should send the documents to.”

So, Tony gave Bruce the information he required. Since he is an employee in this enormous medical institution, he was given a general email from the higher authorities. It entails that it is directly linked to the main database, it can be accessed easily, and anyone from the tech department can see any activity being done in it. It can be reasonable to assume that this could be a fatal mistake from Tony’s part, however; he was aware of what he was doing. Bruce swiftly took forms from a nearby wire basket on his desk; he signed each of them with a black fountain pen, and scanned them to send them to his current partner in crime. Tony rested the public phone on top of a short cabinet, and he crossed over to the closest computer. He went online in the clinic’s accumulated databank, seeing multiple new messages that were filed to different workers, he clicked on his fake name (Natasha Merev), and opened up Bruce’s electronic note. Tony printed the ‘transfer applications’, hearing the hum of the machine spit out the hot sheets. When the deed was done, Tony immediately deleted the email, but he didn’t stop at that point. He did the extra mile by hacking into the mainframe, and erasing every shred of evidence of an interaction between him and Bruce. His skills as a software engineer were paying off, and were providing him protection. No one, not even Von Doom, would be able to salvage or even find out about this secret exchange. The petite brunette returned back to the phone, picking it back up.

                “That should do it, thank you. I’ll see you when I get back in Colorado.”

                “All right, good luck, Tony. Be careful.”

                “I will, later.” Tony hung the phone on the proper hook to end the call; he collected the crisp papers from the copier.

He walked out of the lonely area and did not have a destination to go to; he was not certain how he was going to obtain the authorization from a Von Doom operative. Tony paused from his furtive mission when he noticed an older doctor speaking to a few youthful and giggling co-workers. The inquisitive brunette studied the cheery display in a reasonable distance, he has seen this mature looking man numerous of times during his shifts in the Long Island Asylum. He learned that this shrewd male is named Claudius Atkinson; he has quite the reputation of being a womanizer and having a taste for young girls. Tony would sometimes see him staring at him hungrily like a lean wolf when he was attending the ill patients in the lower levels of the facility. He realized with dread that Claudius could be the willing fool that can deliver the tickets for his oppressed companions. Tony knew he could use feminine persuasion to accomplish his goal, he figured he can try to seduce Mr. Atkinson, and distract him enough to force him to sign these vital documents. _This is gonna be really weird, ugh, but I gotta do it! It’s a good thing Steve is not here to witness this_ …It took him a couple of minutes to wrestle over with the bizarre strategy, but he brought up his courage to go through with it. _Just act sexy, it shouldn’t be so damn hard to do_ …Claudius’s laughter was ringing among the wanton assistants, but it soon died when his green eyes darkened by the torrents of lust. His pupils enlarged slightly when he saw Natasha Merev strolled towards him, with her shapely waist rocking side-to-side in such a fluid motion. She flicked the long strands of her downy hair to cascade musically onto her lower back.

                “Hello, Dr. Atkinson. You’re looking well today.” Tony stood in front of the tall man; he pulled a cute smile between his shiny blood red lips.

                “Where have you been hiding all this time? You gave me the impression that you run off whenever I’m around.” Claudius formed a sneaky smirk as his entire attention was on Natasha, he ignored his current company.

                “Maybe I wanted you to come after me.”

                “Perhaps I should have, we seem to think in the same wavelength.”

                “Can we continue this chat in your office; I want us to be alone.” Tony’s voice was irresistible, his emphasis on the last word sounded suggestive. It influenced Claudius to make the irritated nurses disperse by the wave of his hand. They were conveniently in front of his quarters.

                “As you wish,” Claudius gestured to Natasha to step inside. Tony entered and heard the door shut behind the two of them. Mr. Atkinson proceeded to sit on a luxurious leather chair, he folded his hands together and perched them on top of the surface of the oak desk. Tony stood near Claudius, at his left side.

                “Why don’t you take a seat?” The imprudent physician was referring to the empty wooden chair across from him.

                “Don’t mind if I do.” Tony sat down on the edge of the flat desk to remain close to Claudius; he dropped the transfer papers to splat on the center of the counter. The medical official seemed pleased of the close proximity between them.

                “So, tell me. What is it that you wanted to discuss about?”

                “I just need you to sign these forms for me.”

                “I better take a look.” Claudius leaned forward to try to read the typed words.

                “You don’t have to, I already reviewed them. It’s to approve a shipment of IV needles.” The masked nurse dipped his high heeled shoe in between Mr. Atkinson’s legs. He began nudging his foot against Claudius’s groin.

The diversion proved to be prominent; Claudius felt his breath break and hitch up in his throat. The gratifying strokes made his crotch harden, his dark trousers seem to tighten and his heightened blood was pooled into that single spot.

                “You definitely know how to make a man feel good, don’t you?” Mr. Atkinson raced his covetous hand upward to feel the satin stocking and tantalizing flesh of Tony’s leg.

                “You know it.” Tony mustered all his strength to not grimace or show any sign of displeasure. Claudius’s dick was straining against the fabric of his khakis; it bobbled when Tony slid his foot further to make the member fully erect by doing deep and delightful massages. Mr. Atkinson felt his own balls feel damp and heavy, as he pressed fervent sloppy kisses on Tony’s smooth thigh.

                “Are you getting wet?” Claudius questioned with a filthy leer as he shoved the hem of Tony’s skirt higher to reveal the garters against the vanilla skin.

                “Yeah, I can feel it.” It was a complete lie since Tony was not one bit aroused, he was actually disgusted, but he muttered a fake sexual moan and tilted his statuesque hips as part of the performance.

Claudius could feel his penis twinge and small streams of pale semen started to splurge out; it began to stain his underwear and pants. There were visible lines of cum; he was getting soaked rapidly when Tony tugged on his zipper to show the laced rims of the cups of his bra.

                “You know what will really turn me on?” Tony inclined his body forward to have his enticing lips near Claudius’s ear; his balmy hot gasp blew in to make the doctor sweat profusely.

                “Then tell me, sweetheart.” Mr. Atkinson was quaking out of eagerness as he felt his colored eyes loll when he felt Tony swipe the tip of his pink tongue underneath his earlobe.

                “That you sign these papers.” The brunette answered coyly as he reached back to grab the unused pen on the desk. He settled the writing utensil within Claudius’s sticky palm.

                “What?”

                “I mean if we finish business faster, we can keep doing this.”

                “That—ah—makes sense…” Claudius felt feverish and groggy in the head; he couldn’t gather his escaping thoughts. He had the urge to continue this naughty game with the spell-bounding nurse, so he listened to her instruction. Mr. Atkinson uncapped the pen and signed his name at the bottom of the last page without examining any of the paragraphs. He flicked the tool away and had his roving fingers cosset on the right flank of Tony’s upper torso.

                “Sorry, I have to go.” Tony moved back, and felt Claudius clutch his wrists with confusion.

                “Why? We were just getting somewhere—“

                “Duty calls, I have to turn in these forms right away. I don’t want the other doctors to get mad at me for their supplies running late.”

                “Just a few more minutes.”

                “I’ll have to take a raincheck. Thanks for the playtime.”

Tony slipped his hands away from Claudius’s grapple; he yanked the front of his uniform up, and seized the transfer application from the messy countertop. He concluded the session with the flirty wave of goodbye from his slim fingers, and immediately exited out. Claudius was left alone in his quiet office with a raging hard-on, and puzzled of how the situation did not end up in sex. Tony descended a flight of stairs to go to the basement; he compressed the wrinkles on the kilt of his outfit with his unoccupied hand. He was relieved that the repulsive moment with Claudius was over, and he was able to get that second signature. The last thing to do was submit the paperwork; he hastened his pace, taking the final step of the stairway. Tony traveled through the bustling rows of physicians testing the deadly injections, while others were doing research behind metallic tables. He found Steve Rogers marking a number of folders that held the cases of different patients, instantly he trotted up to his austere spouse.

                “There you are, love. What do you have there?” Steve felt his mouth automatically turn into a genuine smile; he momentarily stopped in his current commission. He and Tony began to make hush whispers.

                “The transfer papers, I got them.” Tony took the extra pen that was lying on the slick desktop, and began to fill in the blank lines on the forms with the names of the patients he wanted to save.

                “Well done, we should turn them in, and get the hell out of here.”

                “Yeah, I agree.”

                “You should hand those over to me; I’ll do it for you.”

                “I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself—“

                “I know, but if a doctor turns these papers in, they won’t think twice of looking over the forms. They’ll trust me enough to put this already in action.”

                “Oh wow, sometimes I forget that you can be smart.”

                “Clearly, you have, dearest.” Steve snatched the documents from the counter with a smirk. Then, he caught the attention of a naïve underling by making a sharp whistle at her, she approached the couple straightaway.

                “What can I do for you, Dr. Weiss?” The ignorant Von Doom employee was handed over the essential sheets and she hooked them onto her clipboard.

                “Submit those for me right now, my fiancée and I have a family emergency to go to.”

                “Yes sir.”

The inattentive subordinate did not even scan through the papers; she fled to the archives in order to obey her superior’s command. Steve grasped Tony’s hand to hold, he began to lead his wife to the first floor to leave the institution, however; Tony would not budge.

                “Come now, my darling. It’s time to go.”

                “Steve, can’t I at least tell the others that they will be safe?”

                “I don’t think you should.”

                “But can I at least say goodbye?”

                “Let’s play it safe. Besides, you’ll see them in Colorado.”

Tony was a tad gloomy of the fact that he could not share the good news to his half-mad friends, and they would not be torture any longer. He figured he should trust and listen to Steve. So, the two silently left the depressing site, and took the elevator to the hospital’s lobby. They came out of the metal chute to see the waiting room filled with people coughing and sneezing, as the receptionist was juggling between incoming calls and customers. By the hectic scenario, Steve and Tony were able to abscond through the crowds to go outdoors. They simultaneously shuddered out a sigh of respite; being bathed by the vibrant rays of sunlight, eased their weary bodies that seemed to have been in the darkness for too long. The two journeyed through the parking lot and went into the car that Howard let them borrowed for their temporary jobs this whole time. Tony took the driver’s seat as Steve positioned himself in the passenger side, clipping the gray seatbelts across their heaving chests. They departed from the sea of tar and stationary cars, the huge clinic was behind them, and they didn’t dare take one last glance at it. Steve and Tony were satisfied to abandon the location; the outcome of the clandestine operation was a small victory in their part. They were able to smuggle six patients out of the Long Island Asylum. For them, it was their first attack towards Von Doom, and it won’t be their last.

 

                It was barely the late afternoon; Steve and Tony were back in the Stark household to restore their original physical appearances. The couple was in the guest bedroom, while the rest of the family was downstairs waiting for them to eat dinner together. Steve washed out his short hair scrupulously to have the brown dye swirl down the drain, he was back to his ill-famed blond hue, and he ripped off his fake beard. His strong jaw was a bit red from tearing off the facial strands, resuming back to his clean shaven style. Tony removed his lengthy wig and the latex from the lower half of his pretty mien, he and Steve trashed their medical uniforms since they had no use for them anymore. Steve quickly put on a blue overhead coat to cover his naked torso and a pair of jogging pants. While Tony donned on a beige sweater dress, it had a loose collar to unveil his clavicle bone, and it flowed down to touch his kneecaps. Both of them were too lazy to put on shoes, so the fuzzy carpet licked between their toes as they headed to the first floor. They entered the dining room, seeing the extensive table furnished with clean individual mats and with porcelain pots containing piping hot food.

                “Welcome home. Sit down, it’s time to eat.” Maria was sitting next to Howard, as she waved her hand at Steve and Tony to invite them for supper.

                “You guys didn’t have to go through the trouble of cooking for us.” Steve nodded with gratitude, as he and his wife both kissed Peter on top of his head. They sat down for their son to be in the middle of them.

                “Well, we’re all hungry so it was bound to happen.” Peter was content that his parents were back safe and sound.

                “Where are the twins?” Tony queried as everyone began to serve themselves.

                “They’re taking a nap, they’re fine.” Howard answered casually, the simple response calmed Tony’s nerves.

                “So, how did it go? Is everything okay?” Peter was mixing the bright corn and green peas with the prongs of his fork.

                “Yeah, we were able to do what we were supposed to do. They don’t suspect a thing.” Steve could not resist uttering an amused chuckle; he tore a toasted bun in half.

                “That’s good news, but what will all of you be doing now?” Maria questioned reasonably as she passed the small dish containing velvet butter to her son-in-law.

                “I think it’s time for us to head back to Colorado.” Tony began to gulp down water from the crystal cup that was near his fingertips.

                “Really, so soon? You don’t want to stay for a couple more days?” Howard was a bit staggered by the announcement. He was disappointed by the decision, especially when he and Tony have reconciled.

                “We’d love to, but we have to go.” Steve agreed with his wife, feeling a bittersweet sensation erupt in his core.

                “He’s right, and we have tons of stuff to do. Not to mention, Peter’s birthday is only a week away.” Tony quirked a vibrant smile between his scarlet red lips, he gingerly ruffled through the wisps of shadowy hair on the back of his son’s head.

                “Right, kind of forgot about that.” Peter spoke up shyly as his almond brown eyes lowered by the gentle touch from his mother.

                “Do you have any idea of what you want to do?” Steve’s expression softened as he and Tony exchanged a jubilant glance.

                “Uh, not really, but I do know one thing for sure. I want grandma and grandpa to visit and celebrate with us.”

                “We’ll definitely be there, sweetheart.” Maria was delighted by the invitation; she and Howard were determined to keep their promise to their eldest grandson.

                “Just let us know when to come over.” Howard directed the statement towards Tony, wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

                “I’ll write down the date and our address before we leave.”  

                “It’s settled then. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Stark for letting us stay for a while.” Steve commented politely as his in-laws reacted in a positive attitude. Their once chaotic thoughts seem to be consoled by seeing that their only son has wedded a good and respectable man after all.

                “It’s no trouble at all, but we will both miss all of you.” Maria and her husband had their radiant eyes locked onto Tony, who steadied the intimate contact.

                “Safe travels. And Steve?”

                “Yes, sir?”

                “You make sure to take care of our boy.” Howard made his request known as he and Maria silently clasped their hands in a tight manner.

                “I will.” Steve peeked over to look at Tony. The soundless brunette was jovial to hear such caring words from his parents, especially from his father. He felt free from his past burdens and the rebinding of severed ties.

                “Don’t worry about me, I think I will finally be okay, especially now.” Tony reassured Howard and Maria of their daily worriment of him. The three of them felt this peace they longed for in years, and they could safely say that they have become the real family they wanted to be.

               

                By the next day, Steve and Tony made their farewells to the older Starks. Everyone wasn’t too dejected by the parting; they were all comforted that they will see one another soon enough for Peter’s birthday. The married couple gathered their bags and left with their children to head back to Colorado. It was a lengthy drive from New York, and it took them a few days to return back to the quaint cabin in the woodland. They were inside their cozy residence by the late morning; they unpacked their items, and stored their empty luggage into the supply closet. Tony was curious if the six Long Island patients were already in the clinic where Bruce Banner and Helen Cho worked in. So, he decided to go check, and Peter tagged along with him for a little adventure. However, Steve chose to stay at home to look after the fussy twins, he wanted to keep away from any hospital, even the one that helped his wife through the difficult births. He could never bring himself to trust that kind of facility. Tony and Peter entered the sterilized environment of the medical institution, passing by a number of therapy rooms. After asking a few nurses, they received the proper directions to locate Bruce. They found him in an empty delivery chamber, his russet eyes were fixed on the overhead bars of florescent light. He seemed to be pensive in his muddled thoughts, and wrought with a mysterious agitation. Bruce snapped out of his peculiar trance when he heard the patter of footsteps coming behind him, he spun around to see Tony and Peter.

                “This is a surprise; I wasn’t expecting to see the both of you here.” Bruce appeared to force out a cordial smile between his tightened lips.

                “I know, it seems out of the blue, but we just wanted to see if the new patients have arrived.” Tony was a little unnerved by Bruce’s behavior; the revere physician was acting inexplicable.

                “We received them yesterday; so far we are trying to get through to them. It’ll take a while, considering they have been in the Long Island Asylum for too long. Perhaps you can see them in a later time.”

                “That’s good news, but what’s the matter, Dr. Banner? You don’t look well.” Peter was able to perceive Bruce’s tense disposition, usually he was in a state of tranquility.

                “It’s just—this is the exact room where I delivered your twins, Tony. While you were in New York, the FBI had to investigate it.”

                “It’s okay, we don’t have problems with the FBI, and Director Pierce is on our side.”

                “Yes, I can tell, because they are doing this investigation to help you.”

                “This doesn’t make any sense, what is this about?”

                “We recently found out that someone disguised themselves as a medical officer and snuck into this room, the day you gave birth to Jared and Alex.”

                “Jen said the delivery was supposed to be handled privately. How did this person find out, and why would they want to see my mom give birth to my brothers?”

                “The FBI found out it was a reporter, who happened to come on that day to do a story on our clinic’s excellent programs. Apparently, he was the only one who noticed a suspicious looking ‘female’ covering her identity with a jacket, and heading to the delivery room.” Bruce explained with a windy sigh, as Tony remembered that he fooled the crowd to think he was a regular pregnant woman, and that Dr. Cho took him away on a wheelchair.

                “Okay, but like Peter asked, why would he want to see the births?”

                “He had a doubt about you being a ‘lady’, so with intrigue, he stole scrubs from a supply closet to pass as a doctor. He saw that it was man who was birthing that day.”

                “I don’t like where this is heading.” Peter made an inaudible gulp, he realized what the outcome will be, but he didn’t want to believe it.

                “Tony, he took pictures of you during the delivery with a small camera. No one noticed because we were all occupied by the procedure.”

                “Wait, Jen and Pierce haven’t arrested this guy? He knows my secret!” Tony’s voice rose to a fretful pitch as he could feel his cold body tremble.

                “They’re trying their best to find him, but he left a message of wanting to make a deal with you and your family.”

                “Give it to me.” Tony watched Bruce take out a crumpled paper from one of the pockets of his spotless lab coat; he and Peter both scanned the letter together. Their shiny chocolate lenses glistened and began to read the clean handwriting:

                _To Mr. Stark,_

_You may be wondering who I am, my name is Horace Rawlins. I am a reporter from the Colorado Daily, due to my obsession with study and truth; I came across the unnatural birth of your twins. Truly, it was a miracle for you to be able to have the ability. However, I was able to find out your name when looking at the recordings that Dr. Cho was writing down when she was monitoring you—she wasn’t aware that I was looking into personal information. Apparently, you are married, because you go by the name of Tony Rogers. I saw your husband with you in the delivery room. You and your husband seemed familiar to me, so I had to research the both of you. Let me tell you, both of you had quite the heavy history, especially your spouse. So, you used to work under Von Doom in Mount Massive Asylum, and decided to be a test subject for fertility solutions for women, which explains why you can give birth. Your husband was a patient in the institution, he did a lot of killings in the 50’s—an ill reputation as anyone can see. Clearly, you are perfect for one another, he being a disgusting murderer, and you a cross-dressing faggot. Yes, I know quite a bit about the two of you. I’m sure you don’t want the whole world to find out about the births, imagine all types of cops coming to arrest you and your husband, and your babies left in foster homes or orphanages. These photos of you can be the end of your whole family. Though, I am very tempted to send these to your old boss, Von Doom, I’m sure he would like to know that his old employee is alive, along with the blond abomination. I’m sure he would pay handsomely for these secret pictures, just to know that his beloved software engineer is still lurking around this Earth. It’s simple; I’ll give you the photos and my silence, if you pay me whatever I ask. If not, then I’ll locate Von Doom, and work a deal with him instead. You must have some sense left to choose the right decision; I’ll be waiting for your call._

                Tony and Peter finished examining the note, seeing Horace’s phone number on the bottom of the page. The eldest son of the Stark-Rogers family could feel the same level of trepidation as his mother; he already went through one experience of being processed in Child Protective Services. He was fearful of going back to the social workers; there was so much to lose.

                “He really wants to break us apart, just for money.” Peter remarked softly as he could feel Tony hug him.

                “I’m not gonna let him.” Tony answered with his heart thumping rapidly and feeling sore beneath his chest.

                “I’m sorry, Tony—“

                “It’s not your fault; we all didn’t know this would happen.”

                “You should probably go home, and tell Steve of what’s going on.” Bruce advised with a shaky breath as Tony was determined to listen to his instruction.

                “Yeah, and I already know how he is gonna react…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 21! Thanks for still reading!


	21. Limited Options

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Tony are running out of options with Rawlins. What can they do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally another chapter!

               By the unexpected turn of events, Tony and Peter returned back to the cabin in the woodland. The threatening letter from Horace Rawlins was still clutched within Tony’s hand, as he and his eldest son went into the comfy residence with a common mood. Steve was seated on the plush couch with the twin babies lying on the decorative cushions. They were attempting to push off a china vase that was settled on the oak drawer. However, Steve would constantly pull the delicate jar from falling, and tugging at the tails of the babies’ animal onesies to keep them away. He continued to follow this routine even when he saw Tony and Peter enter through the front door. The blond was puzzled of why they had come back so soon, he thought they would be late after visiting all six patients. Peter greeted his father without much enthusiasm, since he was weighed down by the current situation he discovered. He wordlessly scooped up his brothers into his arms, and headed towards the nursery. The young lad figured his mother wanted to discuss the terrible news with Steve privately, especially when his dad has such a temper about him. Steve immediately stood up and grabbed the sides of Tony’s shoulders, staring intently in those sorrowful fawn eyes.

                “Darling, what’s going on with you? You and Peter are acting so strange.” Steve mentioned with concern.

                “Here, read this.” Tony simply stated as he drew back to place the crumpled paper on Steve’s open hand. He felt his own chest heave profoundly when he watched his husband scan every word. The more he absorbed, his lips would curve deeper and his cobalt eyes blackened out of hate.

                “This has to be a joke—“

                “It’s not, this is real.”

                “Where the hell did you get this?”

                “Dr. Banner gave it to me. This guy found us out, and the FBI is trying to find him.”

                “I don’t care; I’m going to handle this myself. I don’t need their help.” Steve flung the wrinkly sheet unto the coffee table; the swell of his muscles were beginning to pop with veins.

                “Maybe you should let them handle this one—“

                “I am the man of this house; it is my responsibility to protect all of you! I’m going to capture that lowlife and make him wish he was never born!” The blond felt his rage instantly flare up; he crossed over to the tall oak shelves and knocked over a bunch of books.

                “You need to calm down, we’ll be okay.” Tony walked over to clasp his hands over Steve’s left forearm, trying to reassure his husband.

                “We will, once I get rid of him.”

                “When you talk like this, you end up killing someone. I don’t want you to, even if this scumbag deserves it.”

                “I’m not going to turn a blind eye when a person makes you suffer. I think you know I would do anything for you.”

                “That’s what scares me—“Tony felt his lowered head lift up by the cradle of Steve’s large hand, he can still see the overflow of odium in his sea blue eyes.

                “Don’t be afraid, my little girl. I can make this all go away. Tell me to kill Rawlins, and I’ll do it.” Steve’s masculine voice was laced with firmness as he began to thumb his wife’s trembling cerise red lips.

                “I told you before, I don’t want this.”

                “It’s simple really, I can track him and I’ll let you choose how he should die. What should it be, my love? Drowning, decapitation, burn him alive—“

                “Oh god, you’re going too far! Don’t say another word about it!”

                “Come on; let me do this for you.”

                “Look, I know how much you care about me, but it would be wrong.”

                “Then, what are we supposed to do?” Steve questioned with a grouchy huff as he scratched his long fingers against the dark thistles of Tony’s stylish beard.

                “I’m gonna see if I can get through with Rawlins, we’ll go from there.” Tony rationally replied as he broke away from Steve’s rough gesture to retrieve the note from the short table.

                “You can try, but it won’t do you much good.”

                “Why are you saying that? You don’t even know what he will say.”

                “True, but just by his character alone, it says plenty about him.”

 

Tony made a windy sigh as he looked at Steve intently once more before he quietly went inside their bedroom. The tall blond tightened his fist for his bones to crack beneath the strained skin, seeing the door to their private quarters close within the dim hallway. Meanwhile, as Steve was waiting and seething, Tony sat down on the edge of their mattress. He swiped the obscure colored phone and pressed the correct digits, he tossed the letter unto the drawer. The ringing from the device caused Tony’s heart to thump faster; the anticipation was increasing within his core. Tony swallowed thickly when he heard the eloquent voice of Horace Rawlins asking who is calling.

                “This is Tony, I got your message.” The brunette managed to sound composed despite his inner emotions contradicting him, he began massaging his naked shins out of nervousness.

                “I was expecting your call so we can talk business.” Horace sketched out a toothy smirk as he was currently sitting in an office cubicle for the Colorado Daily.

                “I know…so what is it that you want from us?”

                “All I am asking is a quarter of a million dollars; I say it’s a fair price for keeping your existence under wraps.”

                “There is no way we can afford that, we’re not rich!”

                “That is not my problem. I mean I don’t see any harm for your old boss finding out that you’re alive.”

                “You shouldn’t even think about getting involved with Von Doom, nothing good comes out of him.”

                “Is this some kind of trick for me to back down? If it is, then it’s not working.”

                “I swear I’m not trying anything. All I really want is for my family to be safe—“

                “In order for that to happen, I need what I asked for, and that is cash. If I can’t get it from you, I can get it from Von Doom. He would give me a bonus as well for exposing you.” Rawlins opened one of the metallic cabinets of his tidy desk, pulling out a post-it note with Von Doom’s number on it.

                “We don’t have that kind of money—“Tony clutched the folds of his magenta pleated skirt with alarm.

                “Then there is nothing left for us to discuss, Mrs. Rogers.”

 

Horace hung up for Tony to hear the muffled noise of the receiver; he was immobile for a few seconds of the terrible realization. He placed the phone back on its stand and slowly rose to exit out of the room. Tony pattered down the corridor with a lump in his throat, as his shiny black high heels clicked against the boarded floor. Steve paused his pacing to face his depressed wife, he felt deeply wounded when seeing misery cloud Tony’s lovely visage. The very thought of another human being hurting his beloved spouse in this manner drove Steve into a state of lunacy.

                “I couldn’t get through to him, he wouldn’t let me. I failed—“Tony piped up in a frail matter, his husband drew him near out of pity.

                “No, you didn’t. This is his fault in the first place.” Steve peered downward to see Tony laid the side of his head against his strong sternum. He could feel his wife grip the gray fabric of his shirt with his slim fingers.

                “Steve, what are we gonna do? He’s got us trapped.”

                “I’ll think of something. I promise. In the meantime, why don’t you feed our boys?”

                “Yeah, I should probably cook something up.”

                “You do that, my darling. I’m sure it will be wonderful.” Steve unraveled himself from Tony’s arms and was about to move. However, Tony gently grasped his husband’s big hand to stop him.

                “Honey, where are you going?”

                “Listen, babe. I have to run an errand, and it’s going to take me awhile.”

                “What kind of errand are we talking about?”

                “I might go to the hardware store and get some equipment.”

                “That’s it?”

                “I plan to chop down some trees in the forest to stock up on firewood.”

                “I was making sure; I don’t want you to be late for supper. I would like the whole family to eat together.” Tony said with a nod of approval as he released his hold.

                “I’ll be there.”

                “I’m glad to hear that.”

                “Good, now I’m going to get my stuff and go. I’ll see you later, cutie.” Steve formed a devious smile as he planted a moist kiss on the crest of Tony’s forehead. He disappeared into their room to put his polished shoes on.

Tony felt a little better internally when hearing Steve tell him words of assurance, he was still afraid of their circumstance, but he was aware that he can’t let angst overtake him. The innocent brunette decided to fetch Peter and the babies from the nursery, thinking they can bond together in the kitchen. While Tony was planning a harmless experience with his sons, Steve had other ideas racing his crafty mind. He tugged out his spotless footwear from under the clean bed and put them on, but then he took the phone in his hand, punching in the numbers he memorized from Rawlins’s message. Steve was finally connected to the heartless reporter.

                “Why are you calling me back, Mrs. Rogers? I told you that we are done negotiating.” Horace responded carelessly, as he leaned back on his rawhide chair.

                “You’re speaking to Mr. Rogers now, and we have yet to make a deal with one another.” Steve wasted no time in catching Rawlins’s interest; his vocals were saturated with strength and confidence.

                “Well, now we’re talking. So, you will give me the quarter of million dollars and I’ll leave your little family alone.”

                “All right, but you also have to give me the photos you took of Tony.”

                “I suppose I can do that, but I am suspicious about something. Your ‘wife’ mentioned that you don’t have the money.”

                “There are some things that she doesn’t know about. I have a secret stash that I can use to pay you.”

                “Keeping secrets from your spouse huh—“

                “Sometimes a man has to lie to protect his woman, but I digress. Tell me, do you accept?”

                “You definitely know how to bargain. Yes, it’s a deal. Where do you want to make the exchange?” Rawlins was excited of the notion that he was going to get the better part of the arrangement.

                “In the forest, outside the city. Find the tallest tree and you’ll see me.”

                “Fine, I’ll see you in three hours.”

Horace ended the conversation; he looked at a post-it note on the counter of his desk. He made a quick call to a mysterious business partner. Meanwhile, Steve’s lips widened into a ghastly grin, he left the serene area to rummage through the supply closet. He took out a long piece of rope and tied it around one of the loops of his trousers. Steve also carried a huge empty plastic bag. The ambitious blond walked over to the front door of the cabin to leave, but he noticed Tony and their children flocking into the kitchen.

                “Dad, don’t you want to take an umbrella? It looks like it’s gonna rain.” Peter commented reasonably as he saw how the sky was beginning to thicken with darkness and with a multitude of ashy clouds.            

                “I’ll be okay, thanks.” Steve replied abstractedly as he departed from the household.

                “Where is he going anyway?”

                “Apparently he’s got errands to do. He’ll be back.” Tony responded a bit unsurely as he wondered why his husband was so absentminded. He hoped that Steve doesn’t have a sinister agenda.

 

                When Steve took the last step from the porch, he stalked off towards the east. He traveled quite a distance, passing by clusters of upright trees and leafy bushes. Almost an hour expired, and he was close to his destination. However, he stopped from his journey when he spotted a graceful deer and a robust stag; the pair was only a few feet away from him. They seemed bothered by his presence, the doe hid behind her mate with her skinny legs wobbling. The male was agitated by Steve’s existence, so the huge animal charged with a flare from its nostrils. Steve merely chuckled as he dug his feet onto the dirt and grappled the beast’s antlers; he easily lifted it up, and hurled it onto the ground. He flicked a fatal kick against the creature’s skull, causing a quick death. Without mercy, he sped towards the female and sank his fingers into the small tan neck, staring into those big frightened brown eyes. Steve suffocated the being, watching the lifeless body collapse near his black shoes.

                “You lived together, it’s only fitting that you died together too.” Steve mumbled coldly, as he dropped the dead deer into the trash bag he had with him. He resumed his journey without any more interruptions.

About two hours later, Horace Rawlins was wandering in the woodland. He took a taxi to get to the site where he and Steve will meet. His semi-long auburn hair was combed through by the tiny breeze, his dark eyes shifted upward to see the dismal weather becoming more foreboding by the second. The light was expelled and replaced by the color of violet; the heavens quaked by the rumble of thunder. Rawlins stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling the creases of the photos he took of Tony Stark. He trudged further to see a lofty tree and Steve standing near its thick roots.

                “You’ve got the money?” Horace immediately asked as he saw how Steve tossed the sack he was holding in between them.

                “Does that answer your question?” Steve had this eccentric smile on his handsome face as he watched the reporter kneel down to pry open the black bag.

Rawlins gave out a loud and terrifying scream; he fell on his backside when he saw the carcass of the slaughtered doe. His stomach lurched when seeing the unmoving round eyes of the animal. It began to rain with fresh droplets soaking the soil and the two men.

                “What is the meaning of this?! You promised me—“

                “I promised you nothing. I decided to change our plans.”

                “The money, where is—“

                “I lied, of course. My wife told you the truth, we don’t have it. So, I am going to make a new deal with you.”

                “We had an agreement, Rogers! I want my money!” Rawlins got up with anger, but his fury drained when he noted Steve’s mien had twisted into a scary expression.

                “No, this is what we will do; we are going to play a little game. I’ll be the hunter, and you’ll be the prey. If you can get out of these woods, you’ll live. If not, you’ll die.” Steve’s evil leer broadened, his azure blue eyes flashed an impish glint.

                “You’re crazy! I am not playing your sick game!”

                “You don’t have a choice. Now, I suggest you start running.”

Horace was in complete disbelief and fearful of this change of events, he felt his legs begin to run to leave Steve behind. He swept the clawing branches away as his mind was in disarray, the bellowing gales were whistling past his ringing ears. The journalist felt his heart drum wildly when he could hear rapid movement within the countless trees, his eyes darted around out of paranoia. _Damn him for double-crossing me! I should have known he would have done something like this! There is no way I’m going to die; I’m smarter than he is, so I should be able to get out of this_. Rawlins was trying to be self-assured in his own abilities, believing he can somehow outwit a psychotic man. He took out his cell phone from the pocket of his jacket, he was going to dial for emergency, but he yelped painfully when he felt a stone collide against his hand. It forced him to drop his mobile device, his finger bones ached and his knuckles were starting to bleed.

                “This is between you and me, no one else.” It was Steve’s malicious voice and his baleful cracklings can be heard clearly. Horace was alarmed of the fact that the dangerous blond was nowhere in sight, and he was not able to see the moment when Steve threw the rock at his hand.

                “Stop hiding from me! Show yourself, you son of a bitch!”

                “This is the price you pay for making my wife suffer. No one messes with her and gets away with it.”

The reporter could not comprehend why Steve would go so far to be vindictive, especially for the unnatural love towards a male pretending to be a woman. Horace abandoned his phone since he did not want to be caught by his foe. He ended up running for almost an hour, and the downpour of water was racing hurriedly. Rawlins was starting to breathe out of respite when he saw the obvious line that marked the exit of the forest; he can see the concrete road that will eventually lead to the bustle of the town. When he was about to lift his leg for his toes to touch the strip of tar, he felt something rough tighten around his vulnerable neck. Horace was instantly pulled back from his ticket to salvation; he looked to see the threads of a rope dig into his throat.

                “And you thought that you won, I wanted you to think you did. Just so I can laugh at your failure.” Steve was behind Rawlins with his smirk widening and his lips near to whisper demonically.

                “You bastard—“Horace was about to speak, but the rope constricted further to shorten his air supply.

                “That’s usually what all my victims say before they die, and I learned to take it as a compliment.”

A white-blue flash of lightning struck the sky as Steve made a forceful yank to bruise and suffocate Rawlins. The newspaper writer’s eyeballs shone their milky white surfaces, all the oxygen from his crushed lungs was filtered out. His dead body fell forward into the gooey mud; Steve searched his pouches to find Tony’s pictures, and kept them in his persona. The happy blond began to drag the corpse with the rope, retracing his steps to head for home. Along the way, he picked up the trash bag with the lifeless deer; he was thinking he could skin the animal to make a nice coat for his wife. Steve finally arrived back to the cabin; he remained in the front yard to grab the shovel that was sticking next to the tree stump. The raindrops swam down the arcs of his cheeks as he started to scoop the moisten earth to create a reasonable size hole. Before he could hurl Horace’s cadaver into the grave, he heard the front door of the house open for the indoor lighting to spill out onto the pouch. Steve turned around to see Tony coming outdoors with a red umbrella shielding him from the rainfall.

                “Sweetheart, go back in the house before you catch a cold.” Steve said with his mouth automatically forming a cordial smile as his spouse approached him.

                “I was worried that something happened to you—“Tony was cut off when he saw a man with a rope around his damaged gullet close to his husband’s feet.

                “Go on, what were you trying to say?”

                “Who is that?”

                “Let’s just say that I resolved our problem.” Steve answered causally as he showed Tony the photographs. He threw Horace’s carcass into the pit and covered it with dirt.

                “You killed Rawlins?! How could you?!”

                “I wasn’t going to sit down and do nothing when he hurt you. He had it coming.”

                “You shouldn’t be killing anymore, especially when Director Pierce risked himself to wipe your record!” Tony was horrified and disappointed of what Steve has committed; he saw the unashamed blond return the shovel back to its original spot.

                “I think I told you this before, I don’t regret killing those people.” Steve tucked the black sack under the stacks of logs they were storing for winter.

                “Not only that, you lied to me! You told me you were gonna go to the store and then get some firewood!”

                “Okay, I’ll give you that. I didn’t do any of those things. So what, you’re mad at me for lying?”

                “Lying is part of it, but going back to killing people is what really sets me off! Do you think I want you back in a correction facility to get capital punishment?!”

                “It was one time, it won’t happen again!”

                “Look, the only thing I care about is our kids having a father! I don’t want them to have the only memory of you being a serial killer!” Tony was frustrated of the thought that he is always arguing with Steve about topics such as this. His husband seems to constantly go back to his murder cycle.

                “And this is why we’re keeping this as our little secret. They won’t understand what I’ve done is for the good of us all. I know deep down inside, you are relieved that Rawlins has disappeared from our lives.” Steve’s vocals were drenched with his treacherous charm, which easily manipulates those he talks to. Tony cringed a little since the last statement was true, but he wasn’t going to admit it.

                “What if someone finds out? It can’t—“Tony could feel himself fall for his words again, he was confused of why he was reprimanding Steve in the first place. The bewildered brunette did not even notice when his partner took the umbrella to hold it between them.

                “Only we know. Yes, I lied and killed, just to protect you and our kids from Von Doom.” Steve was aware how effortlessly he can seem right in situations, with a twist from his speech; he can bend Tony to his will.

                “Steve, please don’t—“Tony shut his russet brown eyes when he felt his husband’s leering lips kiss his naked neck so sweetly, powerless against Steve’s physical contact.

                “Don’t what, make you feel this way?”

Steve snaked his big hand underneath Tony’s short skirt to rub his fingertips against the warm thick flesh of the right thigh. It made Tony start to whimper so softly and desirably, a noise that Steve delighted in. However, Tony withdrew backwards a bit to make Steve’s digits fall away from the upper part of his leg.

                “…Let’s just go inside the house, it’s raining harder now.”

                “You’re right; we can’t keep the kids waiting for supper.” Steve placed an arm around Tony, leading them to the front door and sheltering them from the transparent drops.

                “Just so you know, I hope you weren’t doing that to hurt me. I wouldn’t like it if your affections towards me were fake this whole time.” Tony had his head low, he sounded both gloomy and slightly affronted. It forced Steve to have a dubious and shocked appearance.

                “My darling, it’s not like that—“

                “Well enough of this, let’s go dine with our kids.”

 

Tony merely responded in an emotionless voice as Steve closed the umbrella, they entered their residence with eccentric moods. Steve wasn’t trying to make Tony feel insecure about their relationship; he wasn’t going to confess that he was trying to make Tony forget his homicidal crime with the use of intimacy as well. There was one part of Steve that was being purely amorous and the other urged to be deceptive. So, the divided parents were silent with one another during the family dinner, but were receptive towards their three boys. When it was bedtime, Steve came out of the bathroom to see his wife already on their mattress. He made sure to put those photos of Tony from Rawlins in the cubby of their dresser. The inquisitive blond carefully nestled himself against Tony who was lying on his side. Steve began to spoon Tony within the shades of the evening, crossing his arms around those tasty hips. He gingerly slid his fingers unto his spouse’s midriff, feeling the smooth silk of his wife’s cotton candy pink nightgown.

                “Why are you touching me?” Tony blew a shuddery sigh out of depression, his eyes cracked open to reveal the deep pools of chocolate brown.

                “Force of habit, I guess. It’s something I can’t stop myself from doing.”

                “Really, or is it just to tell me that I’m only your pawn.”

                “I never thought of you as someone disposable. My feelings aren’t artificial as you suspect.” Steve was fretful when he felt Tony’s body begin to tremble.

                “You could have fooled me; then again, you were always good at that.”

                “I wasn’t trying to be mean, Tony. I just didn’t want you to get so hysterical about Rawlins’s death, and usually love calms you down.”

                “Is that what it is? You were trying to calm me down?” Tony slanted a little so he can see his husband’s blue eyes sheen by the moonlight.

                “Of course, you must have misinterpreted my actions.” The blond was telling a half-lie as he pecked his lips on Tony’s bare shoulder.

He did want to avert Tony’s anger for slaying Rawlins and to make him think that he made the right choice. However, Steve was also trying to comfort him at the same time; he would hate to see his partner become ill.

                “It’s hard to read you sometimes, and not to mention, I get these doubts in my head. I get worried that maybe you never really loved me, and that I’m just a thing you can use.”

                “How could I not possibly love you? We made three incredible kids and we fought through a lot of things together.”

                “You’ve got a point. It’s just I want to believe you, but I still wonder if you are telling me lies.” Tony was immediately turned over to be flat on his back, he saw Steve climb on top of him.

                “Not being able to love you would be a lie. You make it so easy for me to obsess over you, my heart aches so bad when you’re with me.” Steve took Tony’s hand and positioned it on his sternum, showing how his interior organ was thrashing wildly.

                “It never gets like this with anyone else, except with me…” Tony made a hush whisper as he could feel his own mouth create a tiny smile of hope.

                “I can’t help but fall in love with you over and over again.”

                “Oh Steve, you really do love me.”

Tony could feel those ugly sentiments begin to evaporate when he felt Steve seal his maw with a wholehearted kiss; he moved his hands to settle on the ridges of Steve’s broad shoulders.

                “Always have, baby girl.” Steve smooched the crest of Tony’s fair forehead, the act and remark made Tony shiver out of joy. He secretly likes it when Steve calls him his ‘girl’, it seemed endearing to him.

                “Thank you, I think I can finally go to sleep now.”

                “It is getting late. This is a good way to end the day.”

                “We’ll leave it like this. Good night, Steve.” Tony and Steve arranged themselves for the small brunette to be completely encased by the glorifying heat of the huge blond’s arms.

                “Good night, my Tony.”

 

                 About a few days later, within the bedroom of the married couple, Tony was getting himself ready. It was nine twenty-three in the morning, and he was going to go to his check-up appointment in the Colorado clinic. Lately, Tony has been getting chest pains and he wanted to make sure it wasn’t too dire. Steve was currently waking up their three sons for breakfast; it was quite a chore to wake up them up. Tony treaded into the bathroom to remove his nightgown and underwear, so he can wear fresh clothes. He examined his nakedness and he felt his dark eyebrows instantly quirk up out of astonishment. Tony noticed how his body appeared softer and slimmer, a pronounced set of hips that any man would want to grab on to. The most outrageous change would have to be below the neck, his chest was feminine. He was muddled of why this was happening, especially when he pumped all the milk out for his infants. It was so peculiar to see and own a pair of big beautiful breasts, with the velvet flesh achieving the perfect round arc. Tony was very close to be driven into a state of fright, he attempted to put on a bra, but he could not hook it together in the front. The under garment was too small for his recent growth, it dawned on him that he would have to buy new ones with the right size. With a whiny sigh, Tony slipped into his lacy panties and into a burgundy red pencil skirt. He put on a black V-neck sleeved shirt which he realized was probably an awful idea, since he has to go braless. The tight tee made his voluptuous breasts press together in an erotic manner. Tony donned on his favorite obscure colored high heels and exited out of the lavatory. He found it annoying and embarrassing when he noted how his fruitful bosom was bouncing with every movement. _Oh crap! I just remembered! Steve is out there! I don’t want him seeing these, especially when he is such a dirty old man! I’ll just have to hide them_. Tony can only blame his husband for purchasing clothes that accentuate his best assets. He went over to their closet to pick a bright red wool swing coat, he pinned all the buttons to make himself more decent.

Tony grabbed his leather purse and dropped his car keys inside of it. He walked out to go over to the kitchen, seeing that it was somewhat of a mess. There was Steve, wearing only indigo pajama bottoms and reading the back of a box of pancake batter. Jared and Alex were seated on their booster chairs, each drinking a bottle of their mother’s milk. Peter was sitting across the stained counter on a tall stool; he seemed slightly amused by Steve’s effort of making a simple meal. Tony stepped over the flour and egg shells that were spread on the tile floor; he kissed each son on the top of their heads.

                “This looks like a nightmare.” Tony merely said as he shook his head at the disordered region.

                “Didn’t we establish that dad can’t cook?” Peter mentioned with a laugh.

                “At least I try, I’m no deadbeat.” Steve was whipping the egg yolks too fast, that the yellow liquid splatted out in different directions. Tony wasn’t certain if those scrambled eggs and pancakes were going to be edible for any of them to eat.

                “I’ll give him that, but he gives me more work to do. This place is filthy!”

                “I’ll clean it up when I’m done here.”

                “I’m just hoping I don’t get a stomach ache today.” Peter’s belly was growling out of nervousness, he can hardly eat much of the food that Steve creates.

                “Geez, I wouldn’t want that to happen—Steve, you better not poison him.” Tony ruffled his fingers through the locks of Peter’s hair.

                “He’ll be fine, we’ll all be okay.”

                “Just eat cereal instead.” Tony whispered quietly to Peter, his eldest son nodded his head.

                “By the way, my darling. Why are you wearing that jacket? It’s a very hot day.” Steve lifted a light eyebrow out of incredulity; it caused Tony to clutch the collar tensely.

                “I get cold easily, I don’t know if you know this, but my body is a heck of a lot smaller than yours.”

                “Is that all?”

                “Yes! Some people like me don’t have bulging muscles to keep us warm!”

                “Eh yeah, I see. You are tiny.”

                “There, now excuse me; I don’t want to be late for my appointment.”

                “Good luck, mom.” Peter concluded as he flipped open a book to read while he waited for his first meal of the day.

                “Oh no, sweetie. You’re gonna need all the luck in the world right now.” Tony commented with a teasing smile as he trotted off to meet with the family doctor.

 

The composed brunette entered a patient room in the Colorado clinic, sitting down on the papery sheets of the platform. Bruce Banner came in with a clipboard in hand and placed it near the sink.

                “Hi, doc. It’s been awhile.”

                “It hasn’t been too long; you’re almost becoming one of my regulars.”

                “Very funny, I just want to make sure I’m okay.”

                “Let’s take a look then. You mentioned over the phone that you’ve been having chest pains.” Bruce said plainly as he took out his stethoscope from the pocket of his white lab coat.

                “Yeah, they’re not that bad, but I just want to know if it’s anything I should be worried about.”

                “All right, take off that jacket and I’ll check.”

                “Uh, can you do it some other way? I want to keep it on.”

                “No, just do what I say.”

                “Are you sure, because this is more comfortable for me—“Tony was uneasy since he did not want to remove the article of clothing.

                “Ugh, Tony, please don’t be so difficult. I have to make sure this is nothing serious.” Bruce blew out a riled breath; he pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

                “Fine, just make it quick.”

As Tony was unhooking his buttons, Bruce thought that Tony was acting more bizarre than usual. However, he was not prepared when Tony shucked the jacket off to see why his patient was hesitating earlier. Bruce was dumbfounded of the discovery, seeing the apparent alteration to Tony’s body.

                “Tony, I—umm, you didn’t mention that you got plastic surgery…”

                “I didn’t! Why would I do that?!”

                “I don’t know, it’s your business—“

                “Damn it, these are not fucking implants!” Tony’s vocals rose to an ire pitch as Bruce scratched his temples out of edginess.

Bruce proceeded to perch the silver disc of the stethoscope on Tony’s sternum, the physician’s russet brown eyes dashed around to glance at everything but at his customer’s upper torso. Tony slightly gasped by the icy touch of the medical instrument, he was extremely mortified during the examination. His cheeks flushed to a tomato red hue.

                “Hmm, I’m going to go ahead and run some tests on you.” Bruce drew the device away as Tony cocked his head with curiosity.

                “Why? Is something wrong?”

                “I have a theory, and I just want to make sure it’s right.”

So, Dr. Banner conducted a few trials, which involved observing Tony’s blood, urine, saliva, and insulin levels. Tony did not anticipate so many assessments; he was irked of hearing Bruce constantly making ‘ah’ or ‘humph’ noises. Bruce inserted his recordings into his laptop and circled some numbers on a paper scribbled with data. The medical expert walked over to Tony to show him the marks from his exams.

                “What are we looking at?” Tony scanned the report to see the different numerical scales.

                “To sum this all up, you are producing a lot of estrogen now—hardly any traces of testosterone.”

                “Does this explain why I’ve been getting chest pains?”

                “The pains are temporary, that’s the good news.”

                “And the bad news?”

                “Well, your body is changing according to the estrogen that is multiplying. You are making this hormone because you gave birth to three children and you breastfed them all, those are crucial moments in which a female fabricates a high count of estrogen.” Bruce explained with a grimace.

                “Besides, the birthing and the milk, does the fact that the whole experiment of me being able to make eggs contribute to all this too?” Tony felt his right eye twitch of the outlandish circumstance.

                “Yes it does. I also have to tell you that due to the huge rise of this hormone, you no longer making testosterone, which entails that you can’t make any sperm. You can only make eggs now.”

                “Oh that’s just great! My body got so screwy that it’s looking and functioning like a woman’s now!”

                “Steve must be pretty happy huh, though it’s weird.”

                “He doesn’t know. I was hiding my parts from him, because the sicko will most definitely be happy about this!”

                “I hate to break this to you, but he’s going to eventually find out. You can’t hide this forever.”

                “Watch me.”

                “Okay, if he asks what those chest pains were about just tell him it’s heartburn.”

                “Yeah, that’s a good enough excuse.”

                “Other than your body growth, everything is fine. Anything else you want me to check?” Bruce watched Tony stand up to put his stylish coat back on.

                “Nah, that’s enough sight-seeing for you.”

                “Right…”

                “Oh, I do want to make an appointment for my family. Can we come by tomorrow?” Tony carried his rawhide purse.

                “Sure, but what for?”

                “For testing, I want to see if the kids have the same immunities as Steve.”

                “Okay, I’ll put you guys down for blood work.” Bruce typed up the appointment in his computer’s calendar as a reminder.

                “Thanks, I’ll see you later.”

                “Likewise.”

 

When Tony left the public facility, he drove to the mall to buy the necessary garments for his physical ‘adjustment’. He strolled into an enormous store that was selling female clothes, accessories, shoes, and etc. It was divided into huge organized sections, and he went over to browse through the lingerie segment. Tony was not sure what his new size is, he only knew that it was big. There were a few women who were not perturbed by his presence, while a certain amount glared at him out of repulsion. Tony could feel their prejudice eyes stab through him, but he was used to this kind of treatment. Instead of getting upset or mad, he ignored their harsh judgments. There was a particular woman who wore a vibrant yellow suit with a white blouse decorated with sequins. Her dark brown hair is fashioned into a bob-cut, with the ends tapping the sides of her jaw. She immediately spotted Tony and quickly crossed over to meet him.

                “See anything you like?” The lady asked politely as she brushed away her fluffy bangs.

                “I don’t really know. I don’t know what size I am.” Tony replied truthfully as he was surprised to see the genuine smile on her mien did not fade away.

                “That’s an easy fix-up, you need to get fitted. Come with me, I’ll help you out.”

 

She towed Tony by his wrist, dragging him towards a private subdivision. It was a room with lofty mirrors against the walls, there was a fancy pea green footstool with bronze colored tassels sown to its corners. The feisty woman closed the heavy crimson red drapes behind them; she took out a measuring tape from her jacket pocket.

                “Uh…”Tony was speechless of the excellent customer service he was receiving.

                “Well, go on! Take that off so we can get your size figured out.”

He didn’t protest, he slipped off the winter coat, and hung it on a nearby hook. Tony elevated his arms for the female to coil the measuring tape around his bust.

                “Are you the main salesperson here?” Tony was wondering about the identity of this short brunette he has encountered.

                “Actually, I’m the owner! I’m Janet Van Dyne by the way.”

                “I’m Tony Stark-Rogers, nice to you meet you, even if this is a weird way to meet.”

                “I don’t really think so; you looked like someone who needed help. And this is what I’m here for.”

                “So, it’s not weird for a guy like me to be in your store?”

                “If you’re shopping here, then you obviously have great taste!” Janet responded with a merry disposition, it forced Tony to form a smile on his full lips.

                “This is a first for me, not being rejected.”

                “You’re always welcomed here. Besides, I think you’ll look good in Van Dyne clothes.”

                “Is this part of your job too, throwing me a bunch of compliments?” Tony muttered a chuckle; he put his arms down when Janet unwrapped the filament from his chest.

                “No, I mean it.”

                “Thanks, so, what’s my size?”

                “It’s a 36C.”

                “Shit!”

                “A lot of women would kill to have your size. They are amazing, are they enhancements?” Janet was trying to cheer him up since he seemed distressed by the announcement.

                “Nope, they are all natural—darn out of control hormones.” Tony grouched as he snatched his jacket and handbag, following Janet out of the area.

                “Nothing better than the real thing! Here, I’ll show where to get your size.”

Janet led Tony to the racks and tables lined with diverse bras; she started selecting a few, holding them up for him to take a look.

                “Despite it all, I appreciate the help, Janet.”

                “No trouble at all! Do you have a family to go home to after this?”

                “I do, got a husband, and three kids.”

                “Aw, that sounds so precious! What are their names?”

                “My hubby is named Steve. My sons are Peter, Jared, and Alex.”

                “Wow! All boys!”

                “Yeah, what about you?”

                “My husband is named Hank Pym, and we have one daughter. Her name is Hope.” Janet shared as she seemed to be extra jolly by the question she was asked.

                “A daughter, I wish I had one.” Tony spoke up bashfully as he chose a couple of the ostentatious bras that Janet recommended to him.

                “If Steve is looking to make child number four, then it can happen.”

                “That shouldn’t be a problem; he is always looking to make more babies with me.”

                “What a man!”

                “He’s definitely something else—well, I think I’m done here.” Tony picked numerous of bras and he felt ready to check out.

                “I guess that ends our little adventure!”

                “I’ll probably come back another day.”

                “Can I ask you this? Do you have at least half an hour to spare before you go home?”

                “I think so, why?”

                “It’s gonna be my break time, how about we get a cup of coffee and talk some more?” Janet requested as she clasped her petite hands together, hoping Tony would accept her invitation. She has been longing for a real friend.

                “Actually, that sounds good. I love coffee, how did you know?”

                “I haven’t met a person who turns down coffee!”

                “And it’s not gonna be me.”

Tony peered at Janet’s friendly fawn brown eyes, he felt content to have a person behave so courteously to him. Besides, it would do him good to be out of the house for a while, and to stall for time before he reveals to Steve of how his body is transformed. Tony felt that perhaps he can have another female friend he can spend time with, since Jennifer Walters and Helen Cho are the other two he gets along with. He was looking forward to learning more about Janet, and especially drinking a delicious hot cup of coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 22!


	22. Multiplying Mysteries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New information arises about Von Doom's objectives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go! Another chapter!

It was the late afternoon, and the mall was bustling with shoppers. The two story building was aligned with different stores; it was completely filled with the chattering of people, and the blare of music from the intercom. On the first floor, Janet Van Dyne and Tony Stark were seated across one another. They placed their stylish purses on the edge of the circular silver table, with their medium sized coffee cups near their slim fingers. Janet was kind enough to purchase their drinks, she got an expresso for herself, and a cappuccino for Tony. Before they left her establishment, Tony strapped on one of the new bras he bought underneath his tight black tee. He felt a great sense of relief and support from the undergarment. Janet took out a picture from her heavy bag and slid it over for Tony to take a look at.

                “This is my family, which I was telling you about before.” Janet popped the lid of her container and took a sip of her warm beverage.

Tony studied the crinkling photo, seeing that her husband Hank Pym is a tall blond man with sharp blue eyes. He has a bit of stubble on his strong chin. Next to him was their daughter Hope. Her hair looked exactly like Janet’s, except it was shorter and her bangs touched her eyebrows. The young woman has chestnut brown eyes and she seems to be in her early twenties.

                “They look so nice, what does your husband do for work?” Tony commented nicely as he watched Janet slip the photograph back into her handbag.

                “He’s a scientist; he studies genetic engineering and molecular structure. Hank works very hard, he’s not home much, but I can’t do anything about that.” Janet shared with a dispirit attitude as she fiddled with the thin papering of her cup.

                “Why is that? He can’t take a few days off to be with you and Hope?”

                “I asked the same thing, but ever since he took this job about a year ago he seems quiet. Maybe he’s just tired, since the facility he works for is in Kansas.”

                “Who does he work for?”

                “I don’t know, I’ve only been told it’s an old guy. Hank doesn’t talk about it that much. All they do there is improve computer programs or examine new findings.”

                “I was making sure. So, does he stay over there?” Tony was concerned if Hank was unknowingly serving under a Von Doom company, but by Janet’s information, it wasn’t the case.

                “Most of the time he does, once in a while he stays with us. He’s leaving tomorrow morning.”

                “It sounds pretty rough for you and your daughter.”

                “It’s still a little hard to get used to, but we learned that this is something he has to do—even if he really wants to be with us.”

                “Hopefully it’ll get better soon, and that he will get more vacation time.”

                “That would be ideal—well, enough about Hank! What about your fella?” Janet settled her elbows on the shiny counter and folded her hands together.

                “Oh, you mean Steve. Right, he works in a lumber business, putting his muscles in good use.”

                “So, he’s some sort of lumberjack?”

                “Sure, you can say that. He does cut down trees and lunge them around.”

                “Your boys must look up to him, don’t they?”

                “They do, especially when their father has an incredible strength to him. He’s never failed to make us safe.” Tony replied almost absentmindedly, resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

                “I can really tell that you love him, it’s written all over your face.”

                “Come on, that can’t be true!”

                “Deny all you want, but I know what I’m talking about.” Janet uttered an amused laugh, as Tony gulped down the last drop of coffee.

                “I’m stopping this right here, you’re embarrassing me.” Tony chuckled as he grabbed his leather purse and a bag filled with items he purchased from Janet’s shop.

                “It’s all in good fun, but thank you for the chat though. I had a good time.”

                “Same. I better get going, before Steve goes crazy for me being away for too long.”

                “You do that! I’ll see you around.” Janet threw away their empty containers into a wastebasket and gathered her things to head back to her store.

                “Oh! Actually, I was wondering about something.”

                “What’s on your mind?”

                “My son Peter, his birthday is in two days. If you want, you and Hope can drop by to celebrate with us.” Tony responded politely as he figured that Janet and her daughter needed a little joy in their lives.

                “Would that be okay? We would love to go!”

                “Of course, here, I’ll give you our address.”

 

Janet handed her pink cell phone to Tony, letting him type up the date and where to find him. After he returned her device, they said their farewells, and went their separate ways. Tony managed to arrive home before the nightfall, when he stepped inside the cabin; he was pleased to see that the mess in the kitchen was gone. He peeked into the nursery to see the babies asleep in the crib; he crossed over to check up on Peter. His eldest son had a pair of earbuds in his ears to listen to music while he was reading scientific articles in a magazine. Peter glanced at the door, waving to his mother as a sign of hello, and continued his business. Tony was content that his three boys are tranquil and uninjured when he was out, so he moseyed into his private quarters and closed the door behind him. He saw Steve coming out of the bathroom, with his golden locks slicked back, and his fit body steaming with heat. The blond was only wearing a white towel around his waist since he finished taking a shower.

                “My darling, I missed you. You’ve been away for too long.” Steve remarked with happiness as he embraced his wife with vast affection.

                “It was only for a few hours.” Tony answered with a lovely smile as he secretly thought it was cute of Steve to long for him so much. He dropped his rawhide purse and the shopping bag near the closet.

                “How did your appointment go? Are you okay?”

                “I’m fine, just a little heartburn. Nothing serious.”

                “I would hope so—I see you went shopping afterwards. What did you get?” Steve was being nosy as he tried to peer inside, but Tony blocked it by standing in front of it.

                “It’s just girl stuff.” Tony kicked the sack into the closet, grabbing an article of clothing, and leaving to go into the restroom to change to his sleepwear.

Steve was too intrigued to respect Tony’s discretion that he squatted down to take a gander of this mysterious acquisition. He hauled out a bunch of racy bras with different patterns and colors, Steve immediately felt excited by the discovery. The eager blond let go of the undergarments and stood up, wondering if his wife is planning a night of ecstasy. Steve saw Tony exit out of the lavatory, still wearing his raven black high heels, but this time he had on an olive green overhead sweater that went down to his thick thighs. Both of them silently climbed onto the bed, with Steve positioned behind Tony as usual, but he was perplexed.

                “How come you’re not wearing your nightgowns? Why do have a sweater on?” Steve found this behavior abnormal, and he was slowly burning to undress his spouse.

                “I’m cold, simple as that.”

                “Again? Well, take it off, and I’ll keep you warm.”

                “No way, just go to sleep.” Tony sat up for his back to rest on the upright pillows, he was about to turn off the light from the lamp, but Steve rose to grapple his wrist to stop the action.

                “You’re hiding something, my darling. You don’t usually refuse my offer.”

                “I’m not! It’s been a long day, I’m tired—“

                “Don’t be stingy now.” Steve started to lift up the hem of his partner’s baggy pullover, unveiling the small red filigree panties, and sturdy abdomen.

                “Get away from me!”

Tony attempted to shove Steve’s palms away, but his husband always seems to prove how powerful he can be. Steve managed to unpeel the airy coat and flung it down for it to hit unto the carpet. He expected to see his wife’s body exactly how he remembered, but it was restructured much to his surprise. The hungry blond gazed at the cerise red laced bra filled with large gorgeous breasts; it forced him to feel parched in his throat. Tony’s cheeks were blushing into a bright pink hue.

                “So, this is what you’ve been hiding from me…”

                “Can you blame me?”

                “I knew it. If I was patient enough, my little girl would finally grow into a real woman.”

                “Excuse me? No, this was all because of the births—ah—“Tony was interjected when he felt Steve’s callous hands squeeze his bouncy cleavage with zest.

                “What is there to explain? It’s obvious that you’re growing up.” Steve removed his own towel and flicked it aside, unveiling his throbbing erection.

The mortified brunette was staggered that his husband was enflamed in a matter of seconds. He muttered a sensual moan as he clutched Steve’s carpals tightly; he was incredibly aroused when he felt Steve thumb his sensitive nipples. _Why do I love this so much? It feels so damn good, I want him to keep touching me there_ …Tony could not resist whimpering in a high pitch, as his teats hardened for them to poke against the silk fabric of the bra.

                “Uh—mmm—more Steve…”

                “Shit, you’re so hot…” The stimulated blond snatched one of Tony’s smooth slim hands, and made him grasp the huge pulsating cock.

Steve groaned lewdly, urging Tony to constrict his grip. Tony compressed enough to have the peak of Steve’s shaft start to ooze out beads of pre-cum. Steve stuck his mouth above the rim of the right cup of Tony’s bra, he pinched his pearly teeth on the mound of flesh, and began sucking down to create a hickey. It caused Tony to squeal and shudder, Steve stretched out a conniving smirk as he lowered his head to lick in between the round jiggling breasts. Tony rubbed Steve’s groin in an up and down motion, feeling the creases of the veins pop out.  Steve quaked out of exhilaration when he felt his wife’s lean fingers massage deeper into his member for the blood to pool even further into that single area. The provoked blond moved one of the folds of Tony’s bra and popped the rosy nipple into his mouth, he suckled and pulled. At the same time, he snuck his hand into the undergarment to fiddle with Tony’s other teat, circling and twisting the healthy areola. The intense play on his chest forced Tony to wail out his first orgasm, it made his entire body tingle in a frenzy. It was music to Steve’s ears, to hear that beatific voice cry in an amplified tone. Tony tried to quiet down his fervent whines, but it was difficult when he can feel his husband fondle with his wiggling bust.

However, Tony detected the sound of a cracked twig and a knock against their glass sliding door. He immediately stiffened out of fraught; he withdrew from Steve’s sizzling contact. Steve was alarmed when he saw Tony cloaked his body with a bedsheet and ran over to look outdoors. The worried brunette stared beyond the transparent exit, attempting to find the source that created the ruckus.

                “I heard something, something was watching us…” Tony said with a heavy gulp as he tightened the blanket around himself.

                “Are you sure?” Steve questioned as he was too distracted earlier to hear anything, he got up to stand behind his trembling spouse.

                “Yeah, I just don’t know what it was.”

                “It was probably a wild animal, don’t worry so much.”

                “I don’t know this feels different.”

                “It’ll be fine, my darling. You just have your nerves all worked up right now, you just need to relax.”

                “I guess I’m just being paranoid again.”

                “Allow me to console you in the best way possible.” Steve’s vocals were dripping with seduction again as he tugged the bedsheet away for it to sail down onto the floor.

                “Steve, I—mmm… Yes, like that…” Tony was interrupted with a fitful of his own shrieks when he felt his husband’s palms caress and juggle his ample breasts.

                “I know you do, baby doll. Now, I want you and your sexy tits back to bed. It’s urgent that I get inside of you.”

Tony could feel Steve’s boner against the middle of his butt cheeks, desperate to penetrate him. He obeyed his partner, and they were back on the mattress with Steve on top of him.

 

By the next morning, the married couple greatly relished the night before. Tony was sore from yesterday’s activities; he recalled that Steve unloaded a lot of semen in him. He mostly remembered how Steve would thrust fast and viciously. The insatiable blond would not stop stroking Tony’s abundant bosom. It explained why Tony woke up flat on his back, with Steve lying on him with his head perched on Tony’s velveteen upper torso. Tony ruffled through Steve’s yellow hair with his roving fingers, and slid down to rub on the back of his husband’s extensive shoulders. The tired brunette could feel the lines and cuts he left on Steve; since he burrowed his nails and scraped him so much by their evening of passion. Tony wanted to get up, but Steve’s pounds of muscle were preventing him from doing so. By his slight effort to make movement, it caused Steve to stir from his slumber. Steve unhurriedly opened his azure blue eyes, and lifted a little to look down at Tony.

                “Mmm, good morning to you.” Steve seemed blissful as he sounded somewhat hoarse.

                “Hey there.” Tony answered simply as he giggled when he felt Steve press a moist kiss on the side of his neck.

                “Let’s just stay in bed.”

                “That would be nice, but there’s stuff to do today.”

                “Like what?”

                “To check out if our kids have your immunities—we talked about this before.” Tony mentioned with hesitation as Steve appeared displeased.

                “Then go without me.”

                “They are gonna need a sample of your blood, so you need to come with us.”

                “Tony, you know I don’t—“Steve blew out a breezy sigh, trying to control his bubbling temper.

                “Yes, I know that you hate clinics and that’s never gonna change. So, I’m willing to give you an incentive.”

                “What do you have in mind?”

                “Everyone likes rewards, so if you do this, I’ll let you screw me anytime. Even if I’m busy or if it’s in the dead of night.”

                “Seriously?! That is one hell of an offer!”

                “This only guarantees one time. It’s not a lifetime pass.” Tony was wise enough to know that Steve would undoubtedly take advantage of the concept of constant sex.

                “How can I refuse that, especially of how fantastic you were yesterday?”

                “You’re not too bad yourself.”

                “Is that right? Last time I checked, you were begging me to touch you and fill you up.” Steve responded with a jocular grin, he grasped Tony’s right breast as a form of teasing.

                “Well, you liked it! Anyway, we’re getting off topic, what’s your decision?” Tony laughed as he slapped Steve’s large hand away.

                “All right, you convinced me. I’ll do it.” Steve held up his palms as a sign of surrender, but he was mostly doing it for the payment.

                “Good! Now let’s all get ready.”

 

The Stark-Rogers family prepared themselves and left to go to the Colorado clinic. They reported to the receptionist about their appointment, she kindly led them to one of the white washed rooms to be examined. Bruce Banner came in a few minutes later; he took out a bit of blood first from the children. Peter cringed a little when feeling the needle stab his index finger, but his twin brothers were bawling loudly when they experienced it. By Tony’s encouragement, Steve was able to stay tranquil and allow the professional doctor to perform his duties. After Bruce took a while to observe the contents in one of the numerous laboratories, he returned to Tony and the others.

                “What’s the verdict?” Tony asked as he carried Jared and Alex in his arms.

                “All three of your boys do have Steve’s invulnerabilities.” Bruce announced as he uncoiled the stethoscope from his neck and slipped it into his lab coat.

                “Is it a few, or all of them?” Steve questioned as he was delighted that his kids have his powers.

                “Every single one—they will stop aging when they’re twenty-five, they have super strength, hearing, and a sharp sense of smell.”

                “I don’t feel any different, and my brothers have been the same.” Peter mentioned as he was flabbergasted of the revelation.

                “It’s a slow build; these things will come up over time.”

                “I suspected as much that they have what their daddy has.” Tony glanced at each of his unique sons, happy that they will remain physically healthy.

                “At least my blood will do some good for them.” Steve remarked with respite as he crossed his arms against his brawny chest.

                “The thing is, I noticed that your blood pattern was familiar to me. I’ve seen it once before.”

                “How can that be? You would have had to work in Mount Massive Asylum to say that.”

                “I never did, but I’ve seen traces of your blood in the Long Island Asylum patients.”

Steve and Tony gazed at one another with horrified expressions; they were confused of Bruce’s declaration. Peter was startled when seeing how his parents were motionless.

                “Is it okay that we see them now?” Tony inquired with his heart drumming in an irregular beat.

                “Sure, but only for a couple of minutes.”

 

Bruce guided them out of the public quarters towards the far back of the building; they went inside a spacy chamber. All the walls and floors were made of the softest cushions. There was a wooden table and a few chairs surrounding it, with a shelf at the corner filled with picture books and thick novels. The family saw Pietro and Wanda Maximoff still huddled together on the ground. Scott Lang was rubbing his irritated body against the floor by dragging it across. Thor seemed peaceful by flipping through some picture books. Clint Barton was trying to walk, but he fell constantly by his dyspraxia. Peter Quill was leaning against the partition, rubbing his hands nervously. With much surprise, Wade Wilson was present, and he was ripping out a page from _Of Mice and Men_. All of the mentally ill were each dressed in a pair of clean tan pants and a matching shirt. They stopped their movements when seeing Dr. Banner accompanied with strangers, the room was filled with an eerie silence. However, that was broken when Wade yelled joyful, flinging the classic story behind him, and smothered Peter with a possessive cuddle.

                “Pumpkin! You came back to me!” Wade said with a hyper attitude, but Steve pried the older teenager away from his eldest son.

                “Uh, it’s good to see you too, Wade.” Peter commented with his dark eyebrows raised, noting how his father decided to stand in between them.

                “Hi Mrs. Rogers, you’re looking extra hot today.”

                “Umm, thanks, I guess.” Tony commented with discomfort, trying to hide his big breasts from Wade’s mischievous wandering eyes.

                “We’re not here to talk to you, kid.” Steve mentioned with much annoyance.

                “That fucking sucks, then why this visit?”

                “We just need to ask the others some questions.” Peter clarified as they all trotted together to approach the group.

The immobile cluster continued to study the family cautiously, Thor rose from his seat to stand in front of them. He seemed intrigued by Tony most of all, the buff blond analyzed those familiar hazel brown eyes, and it forced him to remember a particular nurse from the hospital in Long Island. Thor gasped out of joviality; he instantly hugged the short brunette and the babies.

                “I never thought I would see you again, Natasha Merev.” Thor exclaimed eagerly as the other patients were stunned by the reveal, they weren’t aware that such a kind woman was a mere disguise.

                “How did you recognize me, Thor?”

                “With eyes like yours, how can one forget?”

                “So, since Nat is not your real name, what are we supposed to call you?” Scott spoke up as he slowly got up from the ground, wiping away the imaginary ants.

                “Call me Tony.”

                “Then, who are the rest of them?” Quill joined with Thor and Scott to face the visitors. 

                “This is my husband, and my three kids.” Tony explained simply as he suddenly felt awkward when Quill neared him.

                “You know, I don’t care that you’re not Nat, and that you’re married. I’m still in love with you.” Quill confessed without shame as his stare was quite intense; Steve was peeved at this individual for coveting his wife.

                “Yeah…that’s not gonna work out…”

For the first time, Wanda Maximoff broke away from the security of her brother, and timidly walked towards them. Pietro was distressed by the bizarre conduct; he followed her to continue protecting her. The young woman was gazing at the babbling infants in the cradle of Tony’s arms, her pink lips arched to a small smile.

                “They’re adorable.” Wanda complimented with a sweet wispy voice, she always wanted children of her own.

                “Thanks, I think so too.”

                “If it’s okay, may I hold them?”

                “Oh, sure.” Tony could not deny such an innocent request; he gave Jared and Alex over to her. Wanda seemed to be revived by an incredible happiness as she embraced the two carefully and lovingly. Pietro appeared content to see his sister express elation; it has been so long that he has seen her like this.

                “If you were Nat this whole time, then you were the one who helped us to get over here.” Clint said as he can still remember Tony assisting him through his paralysis attack, massaging his numb hands to restore balance.

                “That’s right; Steve also helped to make it happen. He knew it was important to me.”

                “Then why did you choose to help us?” Pietro enquired with his vocals laced with a Romaine accent, his blue-green eyes glowed under the white fleece of his bangs.

                “I actually don’t know it just seemed right.”

                “Regardless, we’re grateful for what you did.” Scott nodded approvingly with the rest of the patients, it made Tony form a delightful smile.

                “I know the Long Island Asylum is behind all of you now, but we were wondering something about the injections that the doctors used.” Steve had memorized the ingredients of the vaccinations, but he was certain that he was neglected to be told of its prototype.

                “What about that drug?” Quill mentioned with a heavy breath, they all froze in unison of the cruel reminder.

                “Have you heard what it is, or what it has?”

                “I have overheard the physicians speaking about it, of how it dramatically increases the strength and aggression levels of a person.” Thor shared a bit of information; he and the others had listened to those troubling conversations within their old cells.

                “That much we know, but what is the main source?” Steve continued to dive into the matter in austerity.

                “I’m not sure if this means anything, but they said it was ‘The Groom’s blood’. Do you know who that is?” Wanda responded softly as Jared and Alex grabbed her lengthy strands of dark brown hair.

Steve and Tony gasped of the truth, they barely realized that Von Doom must have kept a sample of Steve’s blood, and replicated it to create the dangerous vaccines. They were not sure if Von Doom salvaged the sampling before the demise of Mount Massive Asylum. The blond’s physical prowess is desirable to gain for one self. So, perhaps the Long Island Asylum was not built to increase wealth, but as a site for trial and error. Its purpose is to generate a serum that provides super human qualities. However, it seems the genetic material of mental illnesses cannot be isolated, since the patients have terrible disorders.

                “He was a failed experiment, forgotten in the undergrounds of an old hospital.” Steve merely replied with his cobalt blue eyes narrowed and his robust jaw clenched.

                “Not much of a failure when Von Doom is obsessed with his blood.” Pietro commented with the caves of his nostrils flaring.

                “Why would he pick up this project that was dumped years ago?" Tony was puzzled of the odd notion; he could not comprehend the reasons for taking a new interest in Steve’s lifeblood.

                “Alas, we do not know the answer. It still remains a mystery.” Thor remarked as he shrugged his wide shoulders with dissatisfaction.

                “We should probably tell Jen about this, she would want to know what Von Doom has been up to lately.” Peter piped up as he was able to understand the entire discussion, since his parents did expose Steve’s real identity awhile back.

                “Good idea, I’ll call her when we get home.”

                “So, you’re going already?” Scott asked with a bit of disappointment as Tony took his babies back from Wanda.

                “I’ll make sure to visit you guys again.” Tony concluded with a positive smile, it provided serenity and hope for them.

The Stark-Rogers family decided to depart from the Colorado clinic; they exited out to be in the front of the medical facility. When they were about to head for the parking lot, they heard the voice of Wade Wilson calling from behind them. Each of them turned around to face the wild teenager who does not want them to leave so abruptly.

                “Can’t you stay a little longer?” Wade pleaded with a windy puff; he was trying to catch his breath from his run.

                “Sorry, there is a lot of stuff to do. Peter’s birthday is tomorrow.” Tony answered as he wrapped the vermillion orange blanket tighter around Jared and Alex.

                “No one told me it’s gonna be your birthday!”

                “Well yeah, we were in New York this whole time.” Peter stated as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

                “My son will be turning fifteen, which is still a very young age.” Steve clamped his large hand on Peter’s shoulder, stressing on the words that relate to Peter’s youth.

                “Dad, mom? If it’s okay, can Wade come to the party?”

                “Yes, he can come, that’s if you don’t have any other plans.” Tony replied as Steve seemed astonished, since he was about to say no.

                “Oh I’ll be there! I don’t have anything to do tomorrow.”

                “Okay, be there at one in the afternoon.”

 

Peter was not sure what influenced him to invite Wade Wilson to the celebration; he can only guess that he was sympathetic towards the older teen for undergoing a lot of tragedy. He figured that Wade could use a little amusement in his life, and it would be nice to have someone kind of in the same age range as him. Steve and Tony argued a bit on the way home about making Wade another guest for the festivity, since the blond was not fond of him, and Tony was willing to give him a chance. Overtime, Tony managed to calm Steve down and have him agree with him, seeing that the get-together will only last for a few hours. Tony made a phone call to Jennifer Walters, passing her the message from the Long Island patients about Von Doom’s involvement with Steve’s blood. She told Tony that she and Alexander Pierce were trying hard to file a law suit against the mogul. However, Jennifer thanked him for telling her the new pieces of information.

                While their three sons were sleeping and dreaming, the parents quietly decorated the interior of the cabin with colorful banners and balloons. Tony was the one who prepped early by purchasing the adornments and the ordered cake that was sitting in the refrigerator. The couple had to do their shopping for gifts before they went over to Long Island to see Howard and Maria. In the next day, it was noon, Steve and Tony smothered their eldest son with warm words and hugs. Their first invitees were the grandparents, who also covered Peter with their compassionate gestures. Howard and Maria settled the abundant presents onto the coffee table in the living room, explaining to Tony that they have a right to spoil their grandchild. Janet Van Dyne and Hope came after a couple minutes apart, introducing themselves to the family, they were quickly accepted by their benevolent personalities. Wade was the third one to arrive, he was quite ecstatic and feverish to make physical contact with the birthday boy, but Steve proved to be unrelenting by staying near Peter. There was a surprise, and it was Jennifer Walters accompanied with Alexander Pierce. She was considerate enough to get a present for Peter and embrace the young lad with her resilient arms. The party was pleasant since everyone sat around in the living room to talk, but Tony was in the kitchen with Jennifer and Director Pierce.

                “Unfortunately, there is some bad news.” Jen began with a despondent sigh.

                “What happened now?” Tony asked with a bit of fear, his hazel brown eyes quaking a bit.

                “We attempted to take Von Doom to court, but he got himself out of it. Apparently, we don’t have enough evidence to use against him.” Pierce responded with his hands curled into fists.

                “I thought I can be a witness—“

                “That was the plan, but it’s not enough. We can’t stake on everything on one person, especially when they will think that the witness is an unreliable source.”

                “My testimony wouldn’t be valid, because I would be seen as someone crazy. Right now, it’s complicated since everyone thinks I died in the asylum.”

                “We’ll try to find another way.” Jennifer mentioned as she rubbed the side of Tony’s shoulder.

Tony nodded his head out of depression; he motioned for the two of them to be with the rest of the party. Pierce and Jennifer listened to his direction and joined with the others. Tony did not want to be in a dismal mood during Peter’s birthday, so he tried his best to compose himself and push the awful circumstance away. However, his thoughts scattered when he heard an unusual noise from his bedroom. He walked into the private quarters to detect something banging on the glass sliding door, just like the night when he and Steve were having sex. Tony crossed over to open it, seeing nothing but the lovely sight of nature. There were only the evergreen trees and the verdant grass blades. He peered down to see a bouquet of beautiful thorn less roses near his feet; he picked up the bundle of rich flowers. Tony found a small white card within the thin tissue paper; he flipped it open to read it: _For you, to the most beautiful woman I have ever known. Wait for me, just for a little while longer_.

The brunette was bemused by the unsigned note; he could not recognize the handwriting. He wondered if this was from Quill, but he squashed the idea when he remembered that the infatuated man does not know where he lives. At first, he thought it was from Steve, but this was not his penmanship, and he always puts his name at the end of any letter. _Who would send me this? Who is telling me to wait for them?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It only gets crazier. Until chapter 23!


	23. Hello Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when everything seems to be perfect, it turns out to be terribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a chapter! Might be a little disturbing towards the end.

A small refreshing breeze blew in the tepid afternoon; it combed through the burnish dark strands of Tony’s short hair. He was still a step outside of the glass sliding door with the mysterious bale of crimson roses. Tony fixed the strap of his pure white dress, since it slid down his shoulder. He already eliminated the possible candidates of this sentimental package, unless there was some secret admirer he wasn’t aware of. Tony thought it might be a mistake, so he carelessly tossed the flowers and the card into the silver trash can. He went back inside the cabin and locked the transparent exit behind him. All he could think about was to tend to his family and to make sure that Peter has a wonderful birthday. His thin heels clicked against the boarded floor as he found everyone assembled together in the living room. Janet Van Dyne and Hope were talking to Maria about fashion design. Jared and Alex were kept safe in their playpen, with Howard supervising. The older Stark was engaged in a conversation with Steve about the highlights of fatherhood. Though, it did not prevent Steve from keeping a close distance to Peter, who was sitting next to Wade Wilson. The seventeen year old was making jokes of how he and Peter will soon be the legal age to go further than second base. Peter was slightly uncomfortable by the intimate topic, until Steve smacked the back of Wade’s head to shut him up. Jennifer Walters and Director Pierce were conversing in a serious manner; they were trying to conduct a new plan of attack towards Von Doom.

                “All right, let’s officially start this.” Tony captured everyone’s attention with a single clap from his hands.

                “Where were you, sweetie? Is everything okay?” Maria questioned with concern as she and Howard took the twins into their arms.

                “Yeah, I was throwing some trash out.”

                “You should have left me to do that; your pretty little hands shouldn’t handle garbage.” Steve remarked with a perfect but crafty smile on his lips.

                “It’s not a big deal.”

                “See, Steve does everything for his wife.” Maria good- humoredly slapped Howard’s forearm.

                “It doesn’t mean I have to follow his example.” Howard responded with a low chuckle, it made his beloved spouse make a light laugh.

                “Come on; let’s make this a good day.” Tony concluded with his hands poised on his prominent hips.

 

Peter was having the time of his life; it felt amazing to be surrounded by people who cared about him. The cake they partook was big and delicious, with the frosting intertwined with the colors of blue and red. When Peter blew out his candles, he wished that he and his family can live in peace, with no one trying to hurt them. He realized he could have been selfish about his desire, but he truly wanted idyllic days. Peter was grateful of the gifts that his parents and guests brought for him, opening them up from their fancy ribbons and wrapping paper. After the event, all the adults were getting a cup of lemonade from the kitchen. Steve was distracted by his in-laws’ story of how they took a plane to get here, which left Wade the opportunity to be alone with Peter. The two were sitting on the couch of the living room, Peter felt a little nervous, and he wasn’t certain why he was.

                “You’re probably wondering why you didn’t get a present from me.” Wade spoke up as he seemed to lack his usual confidence, tapping his fingertips on his kneecaps.

                “It’s okay, I don’t need one.” Peter patted Wade’s back out of appreciation.

                “No actually, I do have one, but I can’t put it in a box.”

                “What is it?”

Wade he coiled his arm around the fifteen year old and drew him near. He pressed a kiss on the brunette’s right cheek; Peter could immediately feel himself blush into a tomato red. It was unexpected, but the contact was incredibly warm and sweet.

                “Does that answer your question?”

                “Umm, yeah…”

                “So! How was it?”

                “A little too moist, but it was nice.” Peter was a bit short of breath, he scooted a couple of inches away.

                “I knew you would like that, you virgin.” Wade teased with a goofy grin as he and Peter held hands in the space between them. Peter lowered his almond brown eyes shyly and only muttered an easy-going laugh.    

 

Meanwhile, the grown-ups were still drinking their summer beverages and eating the different snacks that were laid out.

                “Thanks for inviting us, Tony. This is fun.” Janet mentioned with a happy giggle as she nibbled on a chocolate chip cookie.

                “Yeah, it’s been awhile since we done something like this.” Hope added in as she handed her mother a napkin.

                “No problem, glad you two were able to make it.”

                “Of course! We would have had a boring day if we stayed at home.”

                “True, since dad is out for work.” Hope said with a sad smile as she took a sip of water from her cup.

                “It’ll be okay, hon. He’ll be home in a few days.”

                “Your mom is right, I’m sure he misses the both of you.” Tony encouraged as he patted Hope’s back, which made her feel better.

                “By the way, where did the birthday boy go?” Janet asked as she looked around, she was heard by a stunned but seething Steve Rogers.

                “Ah, shit!” Steve merely cursed as he barely realized that his eldest son wasn’t under his watchful eye.

 

He stormed off to locate Peter, sure enough, he found him with Wade. The two were smart enough to separate their intertwined fingers when they detected the first sound of footsteps.

                “Peter, I want you to be with me and with your momma. Come on.” Steve coaxed with a no-nonsense voice, the fifteen year old nodded with a long shuddery breath.

                “Yes sir.” Peter obeyed without much enthusiasm, he left the living room, to leave his father and Wade alone.

                “I know that you’re after my son. It would be wise for you to stop.”

                “Well, your wife is taken.” Wade remarked casually and with a ring from his rowdy laughter.

                “I’m not in the mood for your idiotic jokes. Keep your hands off of Peter; he’s a sweet boy—a mirror image of his dear mother.” Steve flashed his sharp canines as he jabbed his index finger against Wade’s sternum.

                “Fine, I get the message.”

                “Good, remember my words.”

 

Steve ended his threat and returned back to the kitchen, Wade did not seem too troubled by the warning. There was no denying that he really likes Peter, and it would be difficult to try to distant himself away from him. Wade thought he just had to be with Peter when Steve is not around, that way they can both avoid the blond’s wrath.

                 Overall, the party was a complete success. When it was eight-thirty at night, all the guests left with jovial spirits. Howard and Maria decided to be in Colorado for a couple of days, so they chose to stay in a local hotel. Peter was a little despondent when Wade went home, since he yearned to chat with the seventeen year old a bit longer. However, he learned to appreciate the time they had. Peter thanked his parents for the celebration before retiring in his room for some sleep. The twins were tucked in their shared crib. Meanwhile, the married couple was cleaning up the cabin, Tony was washing dishes and Steve dried them with patterned rag.

                “I’m just so relieved that Peter had a good time.” Tony spoke up as he added more soap on the yellow sponge.

                “Me too, all of us did.” Steve agreed with his spouse as he wiped the striped towel against a wet porcelain plate.

                “It's great that the kids have your immunities, they will be able to live longer for great days like today.”

                “Yes, we will all be together, forever like this.”

                “For a while, then it will just be you and the children.”

                “What do you mean?”

                “Steve, I’m going to get old one day. I don’t have what you have.” Tony said softly as he lowered his gleaming fawn brown eyes.

                “No, I want you to stay like this.” Steve bit his bottom lip out of anxiety, he desired for his wife to remain like this, so beautiful and at his prime.

                “Believe me, I would like to, but we have to face the facts. I will age someday.”

Steve flung the cloth onto the countertop; he embraced Tony from behind, and gently kissed his partner’s bare shoulder. Though Tony has been a test subject for childbearing, it did not grant him immortality.

                “I won’t let that happen.”

                “I don’t even think you can stop time from turning me gray. It’s okay; let’s just enjoy what we have now.” Tony spun a bit to cosset Steve’s cheek with his drenched hand, and smooched him with tenderness.

                “I think I know how to do it…” Steve said almost inaudibly as the gears in his mind were beginning to rotate.

 

For the next morning, inspired by yesterday’s conversation, Steve Rogers took a taxi to go to the Colorado clinic. His fear of hospitals was temporarily banished by his desperation to keep his wife from being affected by the sands of time. It was the opportune moment to sneak off, since Tony took the children to the park. Steve wounded up appearing in Bruce Banner’s office unannounced, he instantly grappled the shocked doctor by the lapel of his lab coat.

                “I need you to make a youth serum.” Steve simply demanded with his light eyebrows crossed madly.

                “Steve—why would you want that—“Bruce was apprehensive if the psychotic man intends to murder him.

                “It’s for Tony. Now, no more questions, take some of my blood!”

                “Does Tony agree to all this? Does he want to live forever and not age?”

                “She knows nothing about this, and it will remain that way. If you tell her, then I will kill you.” Steve grouched as he took Bruce’s wrist in his other hand, and compressed it harshly for the physician to force out a yelp.

                “Fine, I’ll do it. Just let me go!”

Bruce was relieved that Steve released his menacing hold, he gestured towards the tall male to follow him to the laboratory that was adjacent to this room. Steve allowed Bruce to insert the IV needle in the middle of his forearm, watching sloshes of his cerise red blood rush into a small plastic bag. When it was finished, the punctured spot was covered with a cotton ball and a bandage strip. Steve carefully watched Bruce from the background, studying the medical official handle the crimson fluid. Since Bruce cared about the welfare of Tony, he made sure to eliminate any negative effects within Steve’s lifeblood. He didn’t want Tony’s physical and mental health to be endangered. It took quite a lengthy amount of time for Bruce to perfect the tonic, however; he was able to formulate it with much accomplishment.

                “Here, if you give this to Tony, he will stay the way he is now.” Bruce stated with solemnity as he reluctantly gave the modified blood that was kept in a vaccine tube.

                “I can save my wife…” Steve responded negligently as he examined the capped injection with a conniving smirk. He left without saying a proper farewell or with a sign of appreciation.

                “I still wonder if Tony wanted this.” Bruce said with curiosity, since Steve seems to be the only one panicking over the concept of aging. Then again, ‘The Groom’ has outlived many people, and would crave to be surrounded by the ones he truly loved.

 

The motivated blond was able to arrive back at home before his family; he quickly removed the wraps around his arm, and hid the serum in the drawer of their bedroom. Steve acted normal for the entirety of the day, which raised no suspicions among his wife and kids. Tony was too distracted to even consider if his husband was planning something nefarious. He has been vomiting since the daybreak and he could only think about the possibility of being pregnant again. Tony brought Peter and the twins to the store after their playtime in the local park; he managed to buy groceries and the pregnancy test. The household was at its usual routine, until when the cool air of the evening draped over the vicinity. When the children were put into their chambers for bedtime, Tony shut himself in the bathroom to wait for his results. Steve got a glass of water and dropped a pill in it, it began to dissolve rapidly. He entered the silent bedroom, and saw Tony exit out of the restroom wearing a baby blue silk nightgown.

                “Guess who’s pregnant again?!” Tony questioned merrily as he held the pregnancy stick in his grasp.

                “Darling! What wondrous news! I wanted more children!” Steve was elated by the phenomenal message; he moved forward to kiss Tony deeply and devotedly.

                “Didn’t you say you wanted to fill this house with lots of babies?”

                “Ah, so you remembered!”

                “Well, who can forget that!?”

Steve guided Tony to their comfy bed; the jolly brunette placed the pregnancy test next to their lamp. The devious blond sat next to his naïve wife, pushing a fat pillow behind Tony, so his back can lean against it. Steve handed the glass of water to Tony, who thought that his husband was being his generous self.

                “What do you think, a boy or girl this time? Or maybe another set of twins.” Steve began to rub Tony’s stomach gingerly, full well knowing that a fetus will eventually develop.

                “I’m just hoping its one baby, but I really want a girl.” Tony answered solicitously as he gulped down the remaining drops of the cold refreshment.

                “I want a boy though.”

                “Haven’t I told you that we have enough in this house? I think it would be nice to have a daughter.”

                “If we do have a girl, I hope she looks exactly like you.”

                “Well, aren’t you sweet?” Tony was beginning to yawn tiredly, the action made Steve lift his left eyebrow out of expectancy.

                “Looks like my baby doll is getting sleepy.” Steve snatched the empty cup from Tony’s fingers that were beginning to unravel.

                “Why am I so drowsy all of a sudden…?”

Tony slouched over to lie on his side; he curled up his smooth naked legs. He could feel his eyelids become heavier by the second. Steve purposely put a sleeping pill in his wife’s drink.

                “Shh, rest, my dear.”

Steve ran his big hand through the rich tresses of Tony’s dark hair, urging his spouse to succumb to slumber. After a solid two minutes, Tony closed his honey brown eyes. Steve turned a bit to slide the cubby open from the oak drawer, he took out the youth serum. He unscrewed the plastic cap, and hauled up the satin skirt of Tony’s negligée. Steve drove the thin needle into the thick flesh of Tony’s suave thigh, thumbing down the lever for the fluid to gush into the networks of Tony’s body. When the container was void, Steve settled the injection next to the pregnancy stick. He will dispose of it before Tony wakes up.

                “Oh my love, you’re staying the way you are…so beautiful…” Steve uttered obsessively as he massaged Tony’s upper thighs with his hungry lips.

He felt reassured when completing his furtive mission; his churning blue lenses glorified the sight of Tony’s natural beauty. Steve was now certain that his wife will never physically change, not a single white hair or wrinkle will be found. He coiled his sturdy arms around Tony, who seems so petite compared to him, and pulled his wife in. Steve was overjoyed of the new baby that was forming in Tony’s womb, and for defeating time from taking away Tony. There was no one and not a single thing that can steal his beloved bride away.

 

                The news of Tony’s pregnancy was learned by Howard and Maria Stark, who were called and told by the expected mother. They were delighted and even joked of Tony’s impressive fertility. The grandparents made sure to drive over to the cabin to check on their son’s health and help him in any way they could. When almost a week passed by, Howard and Maria returned back to New York, they said their goodbyes to the Stark-Rogers family. However, they will be phoning frequently to know the latest update of the unborn infant. Peter was stunned of having to hear that he is going to have another sibling, but he was jubilant. He told Jennifer Walters, when she came over one day, that Tony will be having a fourth child. She nearly cracked his and Tony’s bones with her powerful hugs.

                About sixteen weeks went by, Tony was in the second trimester of his pregnancy, and he was getting the familiar pangs of constant hunger. So, one cloudy night, he was sitting on the maroon couch in the living room. Steve went to town with the children for a little quality time; there was going to be an entertaining parade filled with music, dancing, and delicious food. Tony didn’t have the strength to accompany with them, and he would have missed the entire event by excusing himself to the restroom multiple times. Steve told Tony that he will stop at the store afterwards to get him a tasty snack.

It was so serene within the log house; Tony was not used to the noiseless environment. He typically heard the loud screaming from his kids or Steve following him around to make naughty comments. Tony was looking through a magazine that was advertising different colleges, he was purposely scouting them. He read an article beforehand that a home schooled student can take entry exams, if they passed, then they can attend a university. Tony knew that Peter wants to obtain as much knowledge as he can, and going to college would be a spectacular opportunity for him. Peter is very gifted and exceedingly intelligent; he is already studying material beyond the high school level. While Tony was making mental notes, he placed the magazine next to him. He felt the baby start to kick.

                “Oof! You’re always hurting me. Keep it down in there.” Tony circled his fingers around his tummy that was getting rounder.

Tony couldn’t think that his life could get better than this. He was grateful to have a marvelous family, they had their ups and downs, but it’s been worth it. Right now, he was thrilled of the notion that he will find out the baby’s gender in three more days, since he is scheduled for an ultrasound by Dr. Banner.

                “It’s just you and me right now, sweetheart.” Tony couldn’t resist chatting with the fetus, the baby kicked in response.

 

The brunette made a light-hearted giggle of the active infant; he promised it that he will show it the same love like he has given to Peter, Jared, and Alex. Suddenly, the ebullient mood was vanished for terror to sink in. Tony heard the tapping of the glass sliding door coming from his bedroom; he wobbled up to stand on his feet. The hem of his maternity dress touched the wooded floor. His poor heart sped to a rapid tempo when the clatter of a latch being unhooked sliced through the air. He instantly burst out a piercing scream when he saw a horde of men dressed in black and stomped towards him. They hid their visages with ski masks, carrying strips of cloths and a huge body bag. Tony attempted to escape through the front door, but two of the males seized his arms, tying his carpals together.

                “It’s time for you to leave this place.” One of kidnappers declared as he punched Tony across the face so brutally that he was quickly knocked out.

 

                 The abducted wife of Steve Rogers had no recollection of the trip, all he saw was darkness. He had no idea where he was taken. They must have drugged him as a precaution, because every time he opened his eyes, he only saw blurry images, and he would repeatedly go into a heavy sleep. Tony tried to fight against the effects, to find clues of his current location. He only knew he was on a bed. There were people donning on white clothes and wearing surgical masks, they were observing him intently. Once again, Tony fainted out of exhaustion and by the medication. A long period of time perished, and the medicament finally wore off. Tony unhurriedly cracked the slits of his eyes, shaking off the dizziness. His russet brown lenses adjusted to see clearly at last. He noted how he was lying on an unacquainted mattress within the dim light; his wrists were bounded tightly by rope that was connected to the bedstead. Tony saw how he was stripped down to his blue lacy bra with pink bows on the bottom of the straps along with his matching panties. He was alarmed when he saw that his belly was flat again.

                “It’s nice to see you again, Tony Stark.”

A shadow emerged from the corner of the simple room, Tony felt himself shiver uncontrollably. The darkest part of his mind remembered this eloquent icy voice.

                “No way…!” Tony simply choked up out of tremor.

It was Victor Von Doom; he looked exactly the same, which was outrageously impossible. His brown hair groomed and glossy and his chestnut colored irises gave out a prevailing gleam. Doom’s mien still appeared handsome, with his tough square jaw and cleft chin. He had on a white dress shirt with its collar unfastened, for the navy blue tie to hang loosely.

                “Tell me, did you like the roses I sent you?”

                “You were the one?!”

                “Yes, and I kept my promise. I told you that I would come get you.” Doom responded with his thin lips arching to a sinister smile.

                “How did you even find me? Why did you kidnap me—“Tony had so many questions as he could feel the rough threads of the rope burn his skin when he tried to move.

                “That reporter—Rawlins, he called to tell me that you were still alive. He did this after making a so called ‘deal’ with Rogers about exchanging your photos for money.”

                “Rawlins knew you?”

                “He has interviewed me a few times before and has done stories of me, so we gave one another our contacts. My, it surprised me of learning that you survived the asylum.”

                “It was your fault in the first place that the asylum became a shit hole!”

                “It was a trivial loss, but I’m going off the real matter. I was able to find out where you lived, because Rawlins was stupid enough to drop his cell phone in the woods, an area near your home. I tracked the signal and narrowed the search.”

                “You were stalking me this whole time?!”

                “I have been keeping an eye on you. After all, you were my special employee.”

                “What do you want from me, to handle another Morphogenic Engine?”

                “No, I just wanted to find you, and extract the parasite from your body. You shouldn’t be having children from a demon.”

                “What are you talking about?”

                “I hired some professionals to get rid of that monster.”

                “You—you aborted my baby?” Tony inquired with dread, feeling his full lips quiver out of fraught.

                “Here lies the spawn of the devil,” Doom remarked maliciously as he picked up a trash can and showed Tony the contents.

The shackled brunette immediately cried with despair and heartbreak, the salty drops trickled down his cheeks. He saw so much blood and a shredded fetus within the bin. He could not stop screeching of how Doom slaughtered his infant; his throat was beginning to scorch.

                “Oh, and one more thing. I also had other experts fix you up. Since you have been playing the part as a woman, you might as well get the whole package.”

Tony was shrieking out of horror as Doom approached him, he bent forward to take a hold of Tony’s underwear and yanked them down. Tony saw with fright that he no longer had testicles and a dick; it was completely replaced with a vagina. He couldn’t stop the fountain of tears that were streaking down his disconcerted countenance, in disbelief that he lost his baby and manhood all in the same day.

                “You sick son of a bitch!” Tony bellowed out with a blend of belligerence and repulsion, feeling his undergarment bundle around his velvety upper thighs.

                “I must say, the doctors I hired did an excellent job.” Doom replied nonchalantly, as he teasingly outlined the sensitive vulva with his index finger. It forced Tony to cringe and attempt to withdraw from the intimate touch, but the binds prevented him.

                “Keep your hands away from me—stop it!”

                “Relax; I’m not going to do anything to you,”

Doom swallowed with great difficulty as he tugged Tony’s panties up in the proper spot, he leaned over to have his mouth near the quaking brunette’s ear. He grappled Tony’s left arm with tension.

                “Your body is going to need time to recover from the abortion and from the cosmetic surgery. So, you’ll be joining me for dinner with a few guests of mine in a couple of hours, until then, rest.”

                “I don’t want to do anything with you, you took my baby!”

                “Blame me all you want, but it was needed to be done,” Doom resumed back to an upright position and trotted over to the door.

Tony was immensely scared when he saw how Doom stood with the door open, staring at him with a pensive and wily glaze. His large hand was over the golden doorknob, while the other was stuffed into the pocket of his obscure colored trousers.

                “Hmm, I haven’t seen you since you were eighteen…”

                “What’s your point? It’s obvious that years have gone by.”

                “I didn’t notice you then, since you were practically a child. Now I'm noticing you. Let’s just say, you have definitely blossomed.”

Victor Von Doom made his concluding remark, flashing his perfect white teeth and his cold eyes glittering in a shrewd manner. The lofty man exited out of the chambers, locking the door behind him. Tony flung his head back and continued to weep bitterly of his dead baby; he was also disgusted of his genitals being substituted for female sex organs. He bonded with the unborn infant and felt as if his soul was ripped out along with it. His mind scrambled out of anxiety if his family found out that he is missing. Tony was weighed down with countless notions that bothered him, that included Doom’s final statement. He had no idea why Victor had said that, it was peculiar. However, Tony felt like he was plunged into another hell, and no one—not even himself can rescue him from this circumstance. Not a single being knows that Doom has taken him as a prisoner, and where they are hiding at this moment. Despite the different quandaries attacking his brain, he could not help but peer back at the blood stained trash can where his baby laid. _It’s not fair, you were taken away from me. My sweet little angel is gone. I couldn’t even protect you! This pain is the worse I ever felt, and it’s never gonna go away. Who knows, I might be joining you…because I don’t know what Doom plans to do with me…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 24, it will be longer and more disturbing. And you'll learn more about Von Doom later!


	24. A Deadly Gaze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is imprisoned by Doom, as his family learns of his disappearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a chapter, disturbing content in this one.

Steve Rogers and the three children have returned from the town’s innocent festivities, they were all in cheerful spirits as they strolled up to the porch of their comfy cabin. The tall blond was carrying Jared, and Peter was holding on to Alex. The gracious husband made sure to purchase a bag of blueberries for his pregnant wife, it was safely tucked in the pocket of his indigo jacket. However, Steve became alarmed when he found the front door already unlocked when he was using his house keys. Steve went inside to immediately try to locate his spouse, Peter followed behind with apprehension since he can tell that his father was wracked with a sudden anxiety. The two began checking the household and repeatedly calling out for Tony. Steve discovered that the glass sliding door in the bedroom was ajar, seeing a couple of skinny gray needles scattered near the frame. He realized that someone must have brought these tools to pick the lock. Steve felt his heart morph into a block of stone, catching the repulsive scents of different males waffling throughout their residence. He crossed over to the nursery to put Jared into the carved crib; Peter joined the scene to place Alex next to his twin. Steve nudged Peter’s lower back, which meant that he needs to speak with his son. Both of them wordlessly exited out of the chambers to stand in the living room, the assorted smells of the kidnappers and Tony were radiating strongly to ‘The Groom’s’ nose. Steve instantly broke down and buried his attractive face into the warmth of his palm.

                “Dad, where’s mom?” Peter questioned carefully as he was startled when seeing his parent become overwhelmed by an abrupt sadness.

                “She’s gone, someone took her! Damn it all!” Steve yelled out of frustration, he blamed himself for not being present to protect Tony from danger.

                “Who took him?! Where is my mom!?”

                “I don’t know!”

Peter felt half of him was missing, his crystal tears flooded down the arcs of his cheeks. He slanted forward to clutch the folds of Steve’s dark coat, and pressed his forehead below Steve’s brawny chest. Steve attempted to reassure his eldest son as he wrapped his arms around the depressed youth, the blond was overfilled with both rage and despondency. He was tempted to punch the walls and rip the furniture up; he wanted to unleash this terrible anger that was increasing. However, he mustered all his strength to not go out of control, the only thing that was keeping him steady was the goal to console his grieving fifteen year old boy. Tony would want him to do that, to ease the children from pain. Jared and Alex were just infants, but they will undoubtedly notice the absence of their mother soon enough.

                “Why would someone take mom?” Peter gulped down a knot of saliva.

                “I have no idea, but it should’ve never happened. I’ll find her, somehow.”

                “I think we’re gonna need some help, can’t we tell Jen about this?”

                “We probably have to; I don’t know where to start looking for your momma. Maybe Jen and Pierce can help with the search.” Steve hated to ask for help from anyone, but at this point he was willing to make an exception, in order to find Tony.

                “Okay, we better make some calls.” Peter tried to stop his sniffling to be brave; he planned to tell his grandparents about the awful news.

                “Yeah, we have to find your mom.”

 

                 While a search party was being formulated, Tony Stark was kept securely in the same guest bedroom. He felt like he was wasting away within every ticking second, with his watery hazel brown eyes still glued to the trash can that has the bloody dead fetus. Tony was not prepared when two serious looking women entered the room with supplies; they announced that Von Doom sent them to prep Tony for the important dinner. One of them sat on the rim of the mattress to powder his eyelids with a pink color, and swathe his full lips with crimson red lipstick. Tony was helpless since he was still fettered by the tough ropes. The other female with rectangle glasses laid out a feminine outfit near his bare feet, and proceeded to paint his finger and toe nails with a cerise red polish. After the paint dried, the threads digging into his wrists were untied by the silent ladies. They told him to get ready, and they left the area without another word. Tony did not have much of a choice; he put on obscure colored tights with a black seam that ran down on the back of his fit legs. The shadowy dress was tight and clung onto his skin to emphasize every desirable line. He slipped on a pair of cherry red high heels, making it the brightest part of his wardrobe. Tony noted how the door opened up to reveal an enormous looking man, who happens to work as part of Von Doom’s security, and he led Tony to the dining room.

The region was richly decorated, the extensive table clothed with fine linen and expensive silverware. The eggshell candles were burning and the vases of fresh flowers sat in the center. Tony saw Von Doom seated at the head, donning on a pricy ivory suit. There was an old man on a wheelchair that was parked at Doom’s right side. Tony was guided to be at the left flank, the security guard knotted Tony’s wrists against the arm steads of the chair.

                “Mr. Stark, I’m sure you remember your former mentor, Rudolf Wernicke.” Doom gestured to the sickly elder.

Wernicke is completely bald and covered with wrinkles, dependent on a supply of oxygen since he has tubes in his nostrils. He has on a lab uniform that was faded and it has worn-out buttons. Tony was shocked and in disbelief of finally meeting Wernicke in person.

                “At last we meet, wasn’t this a day you dreamt of happening to you?” Wernicke mentioned with a hoarse voice, spurring a few coughs.

                “The eighteen year old me did, but that’s only because I didn’t know what all of you were doing behind my back.” Tony grouched madly as he glared into Wernicke’s piercing blue eyes.

                “We couldn’t let you quit so early and tell the whole world of our secrets. You had the potential to be as great as me.”

                “Thank goodness I never turned out to be like you. One day, there will be nowhere else to hide, and all you two ever did is gonna be exposed.”

                “Interesting, because you are the one trapped. No one knows where you have disappeared to.” Doom remarked with a cruel chuckle, as Tony made a long shuddery sigh of his predicament.

                “Before I forget, I brought what you asked for.” Wernicke spoke up as he gave Doom a vaccine, Victor seemed to be delighted by the odd gift. He rolled up the sleeve of his jacket and shirt to reveal his forearm, he jabbed the injection into his skin, and inserted the mysterious fluid.

                “Rogers’s blood has proved to be very useful to me. I become stronger and stay the way I look.” Doom commented with an evil leer, as he removed the empty container.

Tony was flabbergasted of learning that Doom has been inoculating himself with Steve’s lethal blood for a while now; it hasn’t been improved to take out the negative effects. Soon enough, six men were directed to the dining room, and were quickly seated. They all worked for Doom, they were either in charge of finances or business deals for Victor’s many companies. At first they were chatting about their revenue ascending into a higher number, and prospective contracts they can form with other facilities. Of course, the conversation was veered into a different direction. They were too ‘polite’ to mention before about Doom’s snared guest.

                “Who is that supposed to be, Victor?” One of the males inquired with a precarious curiosity.

                “An old friend, his name is Tony.” Doom answered casually as everyone watched the man named Preston get up from his seat to examine the shaky brunette in a close proximity.

                “I’m not your friend.” Tony responded irately, stilling labeling Doom as the murderer of his unborn baby.

                “Oh, you got a feisty little thing here!” Preston said with a lewd smirk as he dragged the chair that Tony is sitting on. He made it face him.

                “Just what are you trying to do, Preston? You need to get off?” A male called Regan enquired with a snorty laugh as Doom rested the side of his face on his curled fist, he seemed mildly attentive.

                “This bitch has an amazing looking rack. Those are some big balloons you got there.” Preston stated crudely as he peeled down the material of the gown to unveil the pretty lacy bra cupping the large bosom.

                “Ugh! Go to hell!” Tony screeched out in a high pitch as he felt Preston mouth his naked neck and bounced his jiggly breasts with eager hands. The other men were aroused when seeing Tony’s ample upper torso, drawn to play with his chest too.

                “Enough Preston, you had your fun.” Doom seemed annoyed by the action, he could feel his own jaw clench. Tony took the opportunity to kick Preston’s defenseless belly, the sharp heel burrowed harshly, causing the man to scoot away and hack up a bit of spit.

                “How about being a pal, Victor? Let me fuck him in the next room! I’ll let you watch.”

Doom rose to his feet silently, he fixed the front of Tony’s frock, and circled over to confront Preston. He punched his business associate across the mien, making torrents of blood burst from his maw. Tony was astonished by the spectacle, seeing Doom towering over Preston with a menacing glower.

                “What made you think that you have permission to play with something that doesn’t belong to you? Get out of my sight, you’re fired.”

                “Fired?! How can I—“

                “In fact, all of you can get out of here and get new jobs. Don’t pretend that you didn’t want to touch yourselves when looking at Stark.”

                “Victor, you’ve got to be kidding—“

                “My word is final, go.”

The upset officials were starting to file out of the domain; Doom took his bodyguard aside, whispering a mystifying command. Doom told him to shoot the visitors, the quiet security guard nodded, and pulled out a gun from his holster. It was heard from outdoors the terrifying shrills from the wealthy men, and multiple rings of blasted bullets. Tony stiffened of the dreadful sounds, perplexed of why Doom would request death warrants for his ex-workers. Wernicke decided to leave, he wasn’t one bit bothered by the circumstance. He told Doom that he will come by another day to talk more, the German scientist departed. Victor, with much surprise, breathed out a weighty sigh as he slicked his luscious hair back. He kneeled down in front of Tony, who was still strapped to the chair.

                “Degenerates, all of them. What made them think that they could do that to you?” Doom responded with a grim demeanor, but his chestnut brown eyes were gleaming in a strange shine.

                “You basically baited them by making me wear this!” Tony answered exasperatedly, as he thought this moment seems all too familiar to him.

                “They should have known better. Then again, they were fools, always wanting what I own.”

                “You don’t own me; I’m not your damn slave! I belong to Steve, get it right!”

                “Humph, your marriage to him is a farce. I can guess that you don’t have a certificate to prove its validity.”

                “It’s just a piece of paper; the years together are proof enough.”

                “In reality, you are tied to no one, you’re single.” Doom explained with his charming, but crafty grin still lingering on his mouth. He slipped off Tony’s wedding ring from his finger.

                “What are you doing?! Give that back!” Tony was upset as Doom teasingly waved the band in front of him.

                “What a false matrimony—you believed in the illusion.”

Doom slipped the sapphire and ruby encrusted ring into the pocket of his light pants. He shucked off his jacket and tossed it aside for it to land on one of the dining chairs. Victor hesitated at first, but he began to slink his big hands up Tony’s stunning legs. The slight rustle of the sateen pantyhose was heard; Doom quickly licked his own dry maw by the swipe of his tongue. Tony was paralyzed with trepidation; he squirmed unnervingly when he felt those roving fingers pry his knees apart. The vulnerable brunette muttered a frightened whine when the skirt of his provocative frock was hauled higher. Doom lowered his head to nuzzle in between Tony’s supple thighs, his lips smooched the erogenous flesh that was thinly shielded by the stockings.

                “No, oh god no!” Tony shouted out as he felt Victor outline the black lines of the material running down his calves.

Tony felt the nip of Doom’s teeth pinch near his inner thighs, loose strands of Victor’s hair flopped forward. However, Victor withdrew with averseness; he seemed troubled of what he has done. Doom rose to stand up, unwinding Tony’s binds, and roughly pulled him up. Tony was perturbed by Victor’s insistence of clutching his wrists that were badly bruised. However, what he was appalled at the most was Doom making a questionable movement. It looked like he was about to kiss Tony, but he merely flared his nostrils and shook his head.

                “Get him out of my sight.” Doom said with a no-nonsense voice, pushing Tony towards the security guard’s inescapable grapple.

Tony was led back to his prison, but he managed to at least see Doom look so uncertain with his left hand trembling. _I have never seen Doom seem so…out of control…I wonder if those injections are finally catching up with him…_

 

                By the next day, Steve Rogers did not sleep for the entire evening. He ended up sitting alone on the edge of the tidy bed, constantly glancing at the side where Tony would rest. Steve was overflowing with a massive hatred and fury; it forced him to jog outside. He approached the circle of trees and immediately started striking his robust knuckles against the trunks. The early morning was disturbed by the loud crunching of wood being destroyed, chunks began to fly everywhere in a faster pace. Steve would also rip a couple of deep roots from the soggy soil, he didn’t know how else to cope with his loss. A whole row of bark was torn up, making the trees have huge gaps in different angles. He continued to hit rapidly despite his fingers beginning to pulsate with agony, until Peter exited out of the cabin to see him. Peter was still in his pajama bottoms and T-shirt, as he ran over to Steve in distress.

                “Dad! Stop that, you’re hurting yourself!” Peter dragged Steve’s hands away from the immobile targets.

                “There is a worse pain than this.” Steve replied tiredly as the top of his hands were scraped up with cuts and a bit of blood swam down.

Yesterday, they were able to tell Jennifer Walters, Howard and Maria Stark about the tragedy. Tony’s parents were aghast of their son’s vanishing; they were going to take the earliest flight to assist with the rescue mission. Jen was going to come by with Alexander Pierce to discuss the problem further and try to create some solutions. So, Steve and Peter were not surprised to see Jen arrive at their house in her Lexus car, she got out with Director Pierce.

                “Do you have any leads?” Jen asked with concern as she was able to get Pierce’s permission to send Brock Rumlow and his team to scout the town and forest.

                “We don’t, we have no clue who could have done this.” Peter mentioned with a breezy sigh.

                “Rogers, don’t you have a sharp sense of smell? Why don’t you track Stark’s scent?” Pierce spoke up as he cleaned the lenses of his glasses with a small rag.

                “Don’t you think I tried?! I can’t catch the slightest whiff.” Steve answered wrathfully; he was feeling short-tempered with everyone.

                “Not even the bad guys who got Stark?”

                “No, not even those bastards. It’s as if they were erased from the face of the Earth.”

                “We’ve got Rumlow out on the field to start the search. If you’re ready, you can join us.” Jen mentioned seriously.

                “Yeah, I’m good to go—Peter, stay here and look after your brothers.”

                “I want to help look for mom too.”

                “Next time you can.” Steve responded absentmindedly as he followed Jen and Pierce to the vehicle. Peter rubbed his cold arms out of bitterness; he was a bit peeved that he can’t find Tony with the adults.

                “Mom is not the only important person to you, he’s important to me too. I miss him just as much as you…”

 

                Approximately three weeks have passed, and Tony Stark was still restrained in Doom’s domain. He was typically locked up in the guest bedroom, still tormented by the corpse of his slain baby. The two nameless women would usually come in to give him beauty treatments, such as putting make-up, choosing feminine outfits, and even bathing him so he can remain presentable. Most days, Tony would be fettered to the bedstead, but Doom decided that he should not be tied up anymore. The shadowy splotches were noticeably around his wrists. He granted Tony a bit of freedom; he is allowed to walk around inside the impressive household. Doom was handling his busy work schedule; he was doing an interview at a news station to chat about his accomplishments. Tony was donning on a cocktail dress with a short A-line collar, the top was of a dark blue, as the tight skirt was decorated with printed flowers. He was wandering throughout the luxurious establishment; he was trying to see if he could run away from this place. Tony looked out through every window, seeing the outdoors heavily guarded by intimidating men armed with guns. He was dispirited by the view, as he noted the natural scenery as well. _We must be in the woods, I see nothing but trees, but that doesn’t say much of where I am._

With much disappointment, Tony continued to explore the indoors. He went down a dim hallway to approach a lone door, which led to Doom’s bedroom. Tony was thinking that he could probably find his wedding band, his index finger felt lonely without it, and he would catch himself fiddling with the missing ring every day. Strangely, the entrance was unlocked; Tony stepped inside to see the only source of light came from a lamp. He was able to see the huge modern bed with steel gray sheets; the bedstead was crafted with extravagant spirals. Tony went over to an ebony table that held numerous of tan folders, each were labeled by dates. He opened one of them to see many photos; he spread them out with bewilderment. The flabbergasted brunette saw there were pictures of him, whether he was in his chambers in the cabin or running errands in town. However, he was astounded when he flipped through another file; it held multiple headshots of Steve Rogers when he was a patient in Mount Massive Asylum. Steve was holding a paper that listed his full name, his number, and the time he was admitted into the mad house. The most peculiar part of these black-and-white photographs was that each copy had an enormous red ‘X’ on them, as if someone was canceling him out. The rest of the duplicates were in shreds. There were even snapshots of Peter, Jared, and Alex. They too were crossed out with a bright marker. Tony was puzzled when he discovered a photo of him and Steve holding hands in public, but it was ripped in half to have the both of them separated. He spun around with alarm when he heard the door scrape open.

                “You shouldn’t be here.” It was Von Doom; he was leaning against the doorframe with his hand on the knob. He was back from his furtive business.

                “What is all of this?” Tony asked directly about the suspicious binders, as Doom came closer to toss his car keys on the cluttered countertop.

                “Why do I have to tell you?”

                “I don’t get why you had pictures taken of me and my family.”

                “Remember I told you that I had to keep an eye on you? Well, your ‘family’ is in the way of my objective.” Doom mentioned with his russet eyes glistening in an obscene shine as he loosened his own burgundy tie.

                “You’re not making any sense!” Tony replied with his slim hands curling into fists as Doom removed his violet jacket for it to land on the table’s surface.

Tony gulped noisily when Doom unlatched his black belt from his own waistline. Suddenly, he coiled the leather bind around Tony’s wrists. Doom shoved Tony unto the well-made bed and hooked the belt to attach against the loops of the headboard. Tony struggled fitfully; his arms were over his head. Doom was only a couple of inches away from Tony’s panicky face.

                “Rogers and those little brats shouldn’t exist. I want them gone, and I will be sure to make that happen.”

                “Don’t you dare kill them!”

                “I have to, just so we can have a new life together.” Doom finally declared with a hefty breath, he lunged forward to kiss Tony hard and wet on the lips.

The repulsed brunette widened his fawn brown eyes of the confession; he was shocked that Doom has fallen in love with him. He should have put the pieces together when he noted the longing stares he has been given over the fleeting days.

                “My life is with Steve, it will never be with you!” Tony yelled irately, he trembled when he felt Doom smooch the flank of his neck.

                “It won’t be long now, my darling.”

The statement shook Tony to the core, Doom called him ‘darling’ just like Steve does. He realized that the syringes that Doom was taking had high doses of Steve’s blood; it must have affected Doom’s strength to multiply and to develop dangerous sexual cravings. It is almost as if another ‘Groom’ has been created. Victor pulled back to yank off his tie and tear away his dress shirt. The fabrics sailed down unto the spotless carpet, Tony writhed out of fraught as he helplessly watched Doom slip out of his shoes and trousers.

                “You don’t want me, you don’t!”

                “Oh, but I do.” Doom removed his own dark plain boxers to be fully in the nude.

Tony shrunk backwards when Victor sauntered over; his heart was drumming in an irregular beat. Doom took ahold of the middle of Tony’s short frock, and he slit the outfit in half. The tattered pieces of the ruined gown were thrown aside like common trash. Tony was left in a solid pink bra with ruffles decorating the rims of the cups, and a pair of filigree panties that has a tiny black bow. Victor was possessed by an animalistic urge that he grappled Tony’s ankles, and tugged to get the unwilling brunette closer. Tony could feel his eye sockets begin to stock up on frightened tears, noting how Doom was developing an erection. Victor towered over him, immediately started to peck and lick Tony’s chest cavity. Doom unpinned the front of Tony’s vibrant colored bra; his lewd fingers squeezed and rubbed Tony’s warm large breasts. Tony turned his head away, quivering badly when his ruddy nipples were pinched by the twist of Victor’s teeth.

                “Get the fuck off of me!”

                “I have no intention of doing that, not when a beautiful woman like you has been set before me.”

Victor smirked maliciously as he proceeded to cover Tony’s body with multiple bite marks. Tony yelped sharply when feeling those pearly whites burrow into his skin. Doom jerked down Tony’s erotic underwear, letting it splat alongside with the discarded clothing. He pried Tony’s knees apart, spreading his succulent legs to expose his private parts. Victor was fervent in exploring the appetizing opening; he didn’t take the time to lubricate himself. Tony felt Doom jab his hardened member inside his vagina harshly. The wife of Steve Rogers screamed at the top of his lungs, the watery drops from his hazel brown eyes finally broke through. His ear-splitting shrieks were so loud and chilling; the security guards patrolling the outer walls detected the atrocious sound. It did make them pause out of sheer consternation, but they chose to ignore it as best they could. Tony felt the pain emit deeply, as he could not stop from screeching out of anguish. Doom relished the moment; he shoved forcefully to widen the lower lips. Tony could feel his head become hazy and his vision was starting to blur of the rough movements. His new genitals didn’t welcome Doom’s dick, he wasn’t wet or keening for more.

                “Don’t want it, don’t want it!” Tony bawled pitifully and breathlessly, he jolted viciously when Doom was thrusting rapidly.

                “Mmm, it feels so good to be inside of you.” Victor flung his head back with a satisfied groan, slamming his penis in and out of the vaginal entrance.

Soon enough, Tony’s alarming shrills were beginning to die out. He was so overcome with woe and exhaustion, it caused him to instantly black-out. Tony’s eyelids fluttered and sheathed, his body became limp. However, Doom continued to penetrate further without a single care. A coarse tingle rippled all over Victor, since he was at the point of an orgasm. He sketched out the most unpleasant leer on his chiseled face, as he swiped his tongue on the left half of Tony’s visage.

                “You’re mine now…”

 

About two hours expired; Tony woke up from the aftermath of the hideous sexual assault. He widened his russet brown eyes and gasped for his lungs to recuperate the lost air. Tony unhurriedly sat up on the dirty bed, noting how he no longer was confined by Doom’s belt. He was alone in the eerie silence, distastefully seeing Victor’s dry semen all over his stomach and upper thighs. A bit of pink-red blood oozed from his vagina, which meant that his hymen was torn from the rape. Every section of his mistreated body was splattered with hickeys, hand or fingerprints, and purple bruises. Tony was rattling so much as he picked up a loose sheet to cover his genitalia. He cried while burying his grief-stricken mien against his palm, his other hand held the thin blanket against his well-endowed breasts. The experience was so ghastly that he couldn’t stop replaying the grisly images when he was conscious. He didn’t know that Doom took more advantage of his body when he was knocked out. Tony felt numb and all parts of him were burning, Victor’s touches remained on his flesh. Desperately, he wanted to be at home with Steve and his children, where he was safe. Doom took him away from them, just to claim him as his own personal property. Tony flinched badly when the door rasped open; he quit his sobbing, and felt a couple of trickles of salt water dribble down the arcs of his cheeks. He muttered a curse when he saw it was Victor, who was only wearing his boxers and unbuttoned pants. Doom held a cigarette in between his smiling lips, his bare feet pattered inaudibly against the floor.

                “So, you’ve finally woken up, Sleeping Beauty.” Victor puffed out a veil of smoke as he advanced towards the ruined bed.

                “Haven’t you had enough?” Tony answered with fatigue and antagonism, clutching the bedsheet tighter with his knuckles turning white.

                “Do you think any man would be capable of stopping once they got a taste of you?” Doom settled behind Tony and ran his hand over the plane of Tony’s shoulder.

                “I don’t care what you say, you’re still my baby’s murderer—“

                “Still dwelling on that? If you want a child so badly, I’ll help make you one when the time is right.”

                “I don’t want to have your babies, you’re just a rapist.”

                “You think this way because you have been brainwashed by Rogers for too long. You are tied to him, and it is my job the cut that thread.”

Doom poised the cigarette in between his fingers, and trailed a few hot kisses along Tony’s spine. Tony shuddered at the action and the menacing words. Victor slid his hand underneath the soiled bedsheet to cradle Tony’s right breast, feeling the soft weight squish against his palm.

                “You’re the delusional one, not me.” Tony retorted back, feeling Victor’s fingertips scrape against his swollen nipple.

                “Don’t be like that, my pretty pet. Rogers will be out of our lives soon enough. After, we will have our own children.”

Tony felt frozen at the statement, smelling the mixture of smoke, sweat, and the faint scent of discharge. It made him ill and dispirited. He pressed his aching lips together, feeling the tiny cuts. _He’s obsessed in killing Steve and the boys. Too much of the fluid from the vaccines warped his brain; he’s acting like a Variant. Doom has become another ‘Groom’; he will stop at nothing to keep me. I’ve become another man’s sick addiction…_

 

                Meanwhile, the Stark-Rogers family had no luck in finding any clues of Tony’s whereabouts. Howard and Maria were able to join Steve’s search party for a number of hours. They all had to resume the mission by the next day, since the darkness clouded the town with a thick drape. The anxious grandparents stayed in a hotel as Steve returned home to his three kids. He slogged into the cabin with a grim expression, and his cobalt blue eyes appeared lifeless. Peter sprang out the maroon couch, making his Biology book thump against the boarded ground.

                “What happened? Did you guys find anything to know where mom is?” Peter scampered up to his tall father, his fawn eyes pleading for a morsel of good news.

                “No, not a single thing.” Steve responded rigidly as he clenched his powerful hands to crack his bones.

                “Oh…”

                “We’ll try again tomorrow.”

                “I hope we find him soon. Even the twins can tell he’s gone. It took me hours to get them to sleep.”

                “They’re so used to being carried by your mom. It’s hard on them; it’s hard for all of us.”

                “I just hope he is okay…”

                “Me too. Now, get some shut-eye. I’ll see you in the morning.” Steve made a final remark as he embraced Peter before his son retreated to his own room for some rest.

Steve turned off all the lights in the household, and locked himself inside his chambers. He navigated through the obscurity, seeing a few splashes of moonlight leak from the glass door. Steve sat down on the verge of the bed; his broad shoulders were drooping out of depression. He felt watery droplets dip down his pale face; he bit down his bottom lip, and screwed his sky blue eyes shut. _Damn it, how could I’ve let this happen? I should have stayed by Tony’s side, I could have prevented this! My beautiful wife has been taken from me, she’s in trouble, and I can’t even do a single thing! I can’t sleep, not like this, not when I know she’s not here with me…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 25!


	25. Favorable Leads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clues are found to find Tony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a short chapter, but I hope you like it!

It has been two months and a half, Tony Stark-Rogers was still missing. It was another depressing morning filled with torn clouds and an ashy gray sky. Peter was trying to feed his brothers with bottles of milk in the kitchen. Jared and Alex were seated on their safety chairs; they pushed away the containers with their tiny hands. Their eldest sibling blew out a long sigh as he listened to the fraternal twins pip up a few whines of discontentment. Peter heard a pair of heavy footsteps plodding into the area. He was concerned and shocked of seeing the appearance of his father. Steve looked extremely exhausted, since he hasn’t been sleeping at all since Tony’s abduction. Underneath his dispirited blue eyes were dark circles, his handsome face was engraved with worry lines and paleness. He didn’t look well, as if he was slowly dying. Steve lost a small percentage of muscle, he seemed a tad thinner. He has been refusing to eat lately out of despair. It was noticeable that his shirts didn’t cling onto his skin; they have become a little loose. Steve hasn’t been shaving either; his strong chin was prickled with stubble. Peter watched his poor parent sit on one of the stools and bury his mien against his worn-out palm.

                “You should eat something.” Peter said gently as he got up from his chair and placed the untouched bottles near the sink.

                “No, I’m fine.” Steve responded in a raspy manner as he licked his own dry lips.

                “That’s a lie, you’re losing weight, and you’re tired all the time.”

                “Don’t worry about me. Once I find Tony, the world will be right again.” Steve unhurriedly rose up and clamped his big hand over Peter’s shoulder.

                “We’re lost without him, aren’t we?”

                “Yes, we are. Completely.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock from the front door, Steve crossed over to open it. He invited in Howard and Maria Stark, they were stilled pained with anxiety.

                “Ready to go?” Howard asked as he was in a rush to continue with the search.

                “Sure, but may I ask a favor, Mrs. Stark?” Steve turned to face his mother-in-law directly.

                “What can I do for you?”

                “Will you stay and look after the boys?”

                “Of course I can.”

                “Wait, dad. Does this mean I can help you find mom?” Peter questioned with hopefulness since Maria can take care of Jared and Alex while they were gone.

                “I want you to stay here—“

                “But you told me that—!”

                “I don’t want you to go missing. I need you to stay safe.”

Peter felt furious as his hands clenched into fists; he stood watching his father and grandpa depart from the cabin. He longed to accompany them and contribute to this rescue mission. It drove him mad to be in the same place, wondering if his mother is alive or dead. Peter was irked that Steve broke his promise to him, that he would allow him to tag-along and assist them. The fifteen year old became sidetracked when he felt Maria’s hands on his shoulders.

                “I’m sorry; I know how much you wanted to go.”

                “Yeah, I guess I won’t be going again…”

 

                 Meanwhile, within the private residence of Victor Von Doom, there was a bloodcurdling scream. The dreadful sound rang out loudly, it forced a group of crows to burst from the lofty trees, and flap away from the horrific noise. In Victor’s chamber, the temperature was incredibly hot. Tony’s throat was sore and parched from screeching nonstop. He was donning on a coal black bustier corset; the bottom and top were decorated with lace. It has a silk bow on the center with lengthy tails dangling. His large round breasts were tightly squeezed by the leather cups of the outfit. Tony was on his knees without wearing any panties, his vagina and butthole were leaking out the excess of Victor’s semen. His arms were tied up behind him with rope, and he had on a pair of thigh-high rawhide boots with stiletto heels. Tony peered up at Doom who was completely naked, towering over him with a glass of water in his grip. Victor made a twisted smile as he pulled Tony’s head back by tugging his rich brown hair, exposing the shaky brunette’s elegant neck that was splotched with hickeys.

                “Are you thirsty, baby?” Doom questioned cruelly as he poured the cold liquid into Tony’s open mouth.

The small torrents swam down the corners of his maw and lips. However, it was too much at once, Tony began to choke on the drink. He spat up and gasped for air. Victor formed a despicable sneer as he massaged his own erection. The sight of Tony appearing submissive and lovely made him exceptionally hard.

                “Fuck you…!” Tony managed to lash out with odium as he watched Victor place the empty cup on the surface of a drawer.

                “Behave yourself; this is no way to act.”

Victor seized Tony by the chin; he burrowed his dull fingernails on the sides of Tony’s face. This forced the defenseless brunette to open his unwilling mouth. Doom prodded his penis inside, shoving it fiercely for Tony to make scratchy muffles. Victor began to lunge forward and backward to keep a rapid rhythm. Tony could feel the member hit the back of his gullet repeatedly. It triggered his gag reflexes for him to have the sensation to vomit as his frightful hazel brown eyes were becoming watery. Doom simply loved the view of Tony taking in his dick, with his shiny red lips around it, and his cheeks hollowing out. There were dribbles of sweat climbing down the clefts of Victor’s sturdy chest, he was groaning out of pure ecstasy.

                “So pretty…” Victor moaned with rapture as he fondly caressed the dark thistles of Tony’s beard.

After a few more thrusts, Doom released a batch of cum. He quickly drew back to pop his groin out of Tony’s abused mouth. Victor pinched the verges of Tony’s visage, and lowered himself to look at him eye-to-eye.

                “Don’t fight it, love. Swallow it like the good little slut you are.”

Tony was quivering violently, as he gulped the load with a grimace. He felt the thick bodily fluid slither down his esophagus; it was such a repugnant taste for him. A few traitorous tears trickled down from his sockets, shamed of having to obey a foul command.

                “That’s a good girl,” Doom picked Tony up and carried him like a bride, he settled Tony on the bed. “I’ll let you rest for a bit, but I’ll come back to continue our games.”

Victor stole another kiss from Tony, who shrunk back against the headboard after the damp contact. Doom put his boxers back on that were lying on the floor earlier, and turned off all the cameras that were installed within the room. He developed a sick hunger for filming the sexual assaults and watching them for his own pleasure in his spare time. Victor started recording after raping Tony for the first time. The business mogul stalked out with high spirits. Tony was getting weaker in every minute, he slouched back with discomfort. The rope still dug into his bruised wrists as he tried to gain back the lost oxygen. He stretched out his tired legs, wincing at the ache. _He’s slowly killing me, by screwing me every day. Will no one save me from this?_

 

                Approximately, at four in the afternoon, Steve Rogers and Howard Stark were scavenging in the woods of a different city within Colorado. They decided to expand the search further by exploring unfamiliar regions. Steve was focusing on a promising scent; he detected a faint aroma that smells similar to Tony. He has been tracking it for about twenty minutes; his hope was beginning to revive when the fragrance grew stronger with every step. Howard was feeling the same emotion as Steve, grateful but curious of how his son-in-law has such a keen sense. They trudged deeper into the woodland. Steve spotted a piece of black cloth near the roots of a tree, and ran towards it. The fabric had a hint of Tony’s delightful perfume; it was mixed with the musky stench from one of the kidnappers. The scent trail that Steve was following was finished by the presence of this material.

                “I thought I had something, but the smell ends here.” Steve said with despondency clouding him once again, he studied the shadowy textile in his hand.

                “Of all the rotten luck—I guess we have to try to find some other lead.” Howard shook his head out of sadness; he thought he was going to get his son back within the hour.

                “Right, this won’t help us.”

Steve tossed the item away; he knew it was from one of the sleeved shirts from one of the abductors. However, that particular odor cannot be traced, since there was nothing to monitor. No one knows that Von Doom purposely murdered the men he hired to capture Tony. He didn’t want any of them giving away his location and identity, it was better to silence them permanently.

                “Let’s head over to the west, see if we can find anything useful.”

 

                 While Steve and Howard were roaming in a different forest, Peter was being babysat by Maria Stark. His grandmother was in the kitchen, trying to get Jared and Alex to drink their milk. Peter was sitting on the rim of his parents’ bed. He was scribbling down notes and sketching diagrams that were about his mother’s disappearance. His notebook was mostly filled with questions of who could have possibly committed this unforgivable crime. Peter had Tony’s laptop next to him out of preparation. _I don’t think we’ve made any new enemies, especially a whole group of them. Those men could have been paid by someone to take mom. There has always been one person who has been against us; maybe Von Doom is behind this…he is rich enough to have this happen…_

Peter dropped his pad and pen on the ground, he perched the laptop on his folded legs. He leaned to one side to open the cubby of his father’s drawer. The fifteen year old navigated through the bottles of lube, thinking they were just regular skin lotion. He found a shred of paper that has the phone number and email address of Alexander Pierce. Peter signed in, requesting Pierce to video chat with him. After five minutes, the older gentleman accepted the invitation. The teenager stared at the screen to look at Director Pierce who was accompanied with Brock Rumlow. They seem to be in Pierce’s office in the FBI Headquarters.

                “Look, kid. We are trying everything we can to find Stark—“Pierce started as he adjusted his glasses.

                “I know, but I think I know who took him.” Peter wasted no time to voice his answer as he saw how Pierce and Rumlow were surprised by the declaration.

                “Is that right? Who did it?” Brock asked with a snort as he crossed his arms.

                “It’s gotta be Von Doom, he’s the only person right now to have a motivation.”

                “Uh-huh, there’s a problem with your little theory. Where’s the evidence?”

                “Well, maybe you can look at Doom’s buying record; it might give us a clue of what he has been doing.”

                “Okay, but don’t get your hopes up if we don’t find anything.” Pierce finalized with a wheezy breath as Peter watched him work.

Pierce projected his computer screen onto a huge monitor that was tacked on the wall. Peter watched how the video display unit revealed Doom’s recent purchases; he was looking at a list that was before Tony’s capture. The young lad noted how Doom bought an expensive cabin for two people.

                “Weird, Doom got this place out of the blue and says it’s for two…maybe you’re right. The guy doesn’t shack up with anybody.” Brock commented with amazement as he used his phone to insert the private address into the GPS.

                “Mom has to be there, I just have this feeling that Doom really did take him.”

                “We’re going to head there now and see if it’s true.” Pierce replied hastily as he tucked a gun inside his tan jacket.

                “Please, you gotta let me come with you—“

                “Rogers wouldn’t like it one bit—“

                “I don’t care; this is my chance to do something. This isn’t just anybody we’re trying to find, it’s my mom! I love him, and I’m gonna save him!” Peter vented out with his fawn brown eyes gleaming with fire.

                “Maybe if we hurry, we can get him home before Rogers comes back.” Rumlow directed the statement towards his superior; he was a little sympathetic towards Peter.

                “All right, be ready when we get there.”

Director Pierce concluded as he exited out of the chatroom. Peter quirked a triumphant smile as he closed the laptop, eased of the thought of being able to participate in the search. He ripped out a sheet out of his notebook and wrote a quick note to Maria Stark:

                _Dear Grandma,_

_Don’t freak out, I’m okay. I’m with Director Pierce and Mr. Rumlow. I found a possible lead, and I think this could help find my mom. I’m sorry for not telling you in person, and tell my dad that I’m sorry too. I can’t just wait around here and do nothing, I feel useless. It’s time that I take some action. I know it’s dangerous, but I really want my mom back. The twins and dad haven’t been the same; they know that mom is what keeps us together. Dad is falling apart, he hardly eats or sleeps, and I’m scared that he might die like this. I’m doing this for everyone, it has to be done. I’ll see you as soon as I can._

_Love,_

_Peter_

The brave fifteen year old tucked the letter underneath the lamp in his parents’ bedroom, and escaped out of the cabin from the glass sliding door in a quiet manner. He waited outside for a while, until Pierce and Brock pulled up in a black car. Peter let himself at the back of the vehicle, noting how Rumlow was the driver, and Pierce was sitting in the passenger seat. The GPS was turned on with the proper coordinates that led to Doom’s mysterious domain.

                “I sure hope you’re right, kid. If he is there, then we can nail Doom while we’re at it.” Brock commented with eagerness as he drove into the woods on a dirt pathway.

                “There is no way that fucker can squirm out of this. We can charge him for kidnapping.” Pierce reassured with cheerfulness.

                “Right, he’s not gonna get away with this. No one takes my mom and goes free.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until chapter 26! It will be longer!


End file.
